Barcelona have received UEFA's approval to host their upcoming Champions League match against Eintracht Frankfurt at the renovated Camp Nou stadium. The game, scheduled for December 9, marks the club's return to their iconic home for European competition after over two years of renovations and delays. This follows their planned La Liga opener at the venue against Athletic Club on November 22.
Barcelona announced on Wednesday that their sixth Champions League league phase match against Eintracht Frankfurt will take place at Spotify Camp Nou on Tuesday, December 9, at 9:00 p.m. The decision came after the club secured the first occupancy license for Phase 1B, allowing an increased capacity that includes the entire Lateral area, in addition to the previously approved Phase 1A for the Main Stand and South Goal.
In an official statement, FC Barcelona said: “FC Barcelona announces that the sixth match of the Champions League league phase, scheduled for Tuesday, December 9 at 9:00 p.m., against Eintracht Frankfurt, will be played at the Spotify Camp Nou. This decision comes after obtaining the first occupancy license for Phase 1B, which allows for an increased capacity and includes the entire Lateral area, adding to the already granted license for Phase 1A — covering the Main Stand and South Goal — and takes effect after UEFA accepted the request, considering that all necessary requirements have been met.”
The approval ends a challenging period for the club, which began renovating Camp Nou in June 2023 to expand its capacity from 99,000 to 105,000. Delays in construction and safety licensing forced Barcelona to play home games at the 55,000-seat Olympic Stadium on Montjuic hill since the 2023-24 season. Earlier this season, they even hosted two matches at the 6,000-capacity Johan Cruyff training ground due to permit issues.
The return begins with a La Liga game against Athletic Club on November 22, limited to 45,401 spectators. A test event saw over 23,000 fans watch a training session on November 7. The project, costing an estimated 1.5 billion euros, is crucial for the financially strained club to generate stadium revenue. Barcelona currently sit 11th in the Champions League standings with seven points from four games.
