Camp Nou

Lore & Background

The construction of the Camp Nou started on 28 March 1954 as Barcelona's previous stadium, Camp de Les Corts, had no room for expansion. Although originally planned to be called the Estadi del Barcelona, the more popular name Camp Nou ("new field") was used. The June 1950 signing of László Kubala, regarded as one of Barcelona's greatest players, provided further impetus to the construction of a larger stadium. On 14 November 1950, the president Agustí Montal i Galobart obtained the favourable agreement of an assembly of members to acquire land for the construction of a new stadium, located in Hospitalet de Llobregat, which was later exchanged with the Barcelona City Council for other land in the neighbourhood of Les Corts.

The appointment of Francesc Miró-Sans as president of Barcelona, on 14 November 1953, was to relaunch the project. The first stone was laid on 28 March 1954. The architects were Francesc Mitjans and Josep Soteras, with the collaboration of Lorenzo García-Barbón. The stadium was inaugurated on 24 September 1957.

Reader's Guide

Camp Nou has hosted two European Cup/Champions League finals in 1989 and 1999, two European Cup Winners' Cup finals, four Inter-Cities Fairs Cup final games, five UEFA Super Cup games, four Copa del Rey finals, two Copa de la Liga finals, and twenty-one Supercopa de España finals. It also hosted five matches in the 1982 FIFA World Cup (including the opening game), half of the four matches at the 1964 European Nations' Cup, and the football tournament's final at the 1992 Summer Olympics.

Renovation of the stadium commenced after the end of the 2022–2023 season. Final completion of all renovations is scheduled for June 2026, although the stadium reopened in November 2025 at a reduced capacity. During the renovation, the Estadi Olímpic Lluís Companys served as Barcelona's home ground for both the 2023–24 season and 2024–25 season; the club played its first two league home matches in the 2025–26 season at the Johan Cruyff Stadium.

Did You Know?

• The stadium's capacity has varied greatly over the years, opening at 106,146, and growing to 121,401 for the 1982 FIFA World Cup.
• Barcelona's record attendance was set on 5 March 1986 in the European Cup quarter-final against Juventus in front of 120,000 spectators.
• The Camp Nou was one of several stadiums used throughout the 1982 World Cup, hosting the inauguration ceremony on 13 June.
• The Camp Nou also hosted the 1999 UEFA Champions League Final between Manchester United and Bayern Munich.