Council reject Barcelona licence to add 17,000 fans for Atletico tie

Barcelona will attempt a historic comeback against Atletico Madrid in the Copa del Rey semi-final second leg with a quarter of their stadium empty next week. Despite claiming that they would be in a position to increase the capacity to 62,000 seats in January after they returned to Camp Nou, the delays continue to be an issue four months later.

The Blaugrana were originally scheduled to return to Camp Nou with a capacity of 60,000 fans in November of 2024, as renovations of their stadium continue, but eventually got back in November of this season. They did so with three sides of the ground open, resulting in a capacity of 45,000. Originally the club briefed Catalan media that they would aim to initiate ‘Phase 1C’ in mid-January, which involves opening the Gol Nord stands, and making use of the full capacity of the first two tiers. That would increase the capacity to 62,000, an addition of 17,000 fans.

🚨 Ferran Olivé (treasurer and member of Joan Laporta’s board of directors between 2021 and 2025): “FC Barcelona will be in a position to sign a top striker in the summer transfer window.” [@culemanias] pic.twitter.com/6Yr77KgssY

— barcacentre (@barcacentre) February 24, 2026

City Council reject Barcelona 1C application

The Catalan club have seen the City Council reject their application to do so, report MD though. Barcelona have not completed the necessary documentation and bureaucratic processes in time to open the fourth side of the ground, and as such, it will not be ready in time for them to face Atletico at home in the Copa next Wednesday.

Barcelona plans for Camp Nou

Barcelona’s next home fixtures thereafter are Sevilla (15th of March), a Champions League tie on the 17th or 18th of March, which will be the return leg of their Round of 16 tie against Newcastle United or Paris Saint-Germain/AS Monaco, and then Rayo Vallecano on the 22nd of March before the international break. The Blaugrana will no doubt hope to obtain the licence in time for one of those games, with the rough opportunity cost estimated at €1m per game in ticketing and sales.