Barca confirm Camp Nou setback but confident on €100m salary limit deal

Barcelona have confirmed the news that had been widely reported this week: the Blaugrana will not be hosting the Joan Gamper trophy at Camp Nou. Their heavily delayed construction of the stadium is due to host its first La Liga game on the weekend of the 14th of September, less than two months away.

The Catalan giants were granted the first of two licences necessary to host games at Spotify Camp Nou this week, but the latest update is that they are yet to complete the application for the second. The Blaugrana needed that licence in order to host the Gamper at Camp Nou this week, to give them time to prepare for the match, but now Barcelona have announced that it will not take place at Camp Nou.

Camp Nou doubts linger as time ticks on

Barcelona had announced that the clash would involve Italian side Como, and would take place on the 10th of August, but now the club say that the game will be hosted at the Estadi Johan Cruyff. The venue is located at Barcelona’s training complex, and holds just 6,000 fans, ten times less than the initially planned 60,000 that were to return to Camp Nou.

Roony Bardghji has surprised Hansi Flick and the players with his high level. They think he’s ready for the first team. @gbsans

— barcacentre (@barcacentre) July 18, 2025

In addition, RAC1 say UEFA have their doubts that Barcelona will be able to host their Champions League group phase games at Camp Nou. They have requested that their first game, set for the 16th to 18th of September – days after their first proposed Liga match at Camp Nou.

‼️Explicat a @esportsrac1 🎙️ @alexpintanel

La UEFA dubta que el Barça pugui jugar la 1a fase de la Champions al Camp Nou. No ho descarta, però va visitar les obres fa un mes i no ho té clar.

El club va demanar jugar a fora el 1r partit, però la UEFA no sol acceptar-ho. #frac1 pic.twitter.com/4nLXplRsII

— El Barça juga a RAC1 (@FCBRAC1) July 17, 2025

Barcelona confident it will not affect their salary limit

Although it was originally reported that Barcelona need to host a game at Camp Nou to ratify that VIP seats, leased out for 30 years for €100m, exist. That way auditors Crowe can include the sale of the product in Barcelona’s accounts, adding a huge amount to their salary limit, and in theory putting them back into the 1:1 spending rule. Diario AS explain that it is not necessary for the VIP seats in question to be in use, but merely that they are finished, and the Blaugrana are awaiting a certificate from construction group Limak in order to show as much. It would not be the first time that optimism over an asset sale has not played out well for Barcelona though.