FC Barcelona has formally requested permission from La Liga to play all home matches during the first half of the 2027-28 season at the Estadi Olímpic Lluís Companys in Montjuic. The move is tied to the next major phase of renovations at the Spotify Camp Nou: installing the stadium’s roof.
According to a report from SPORT, the club submitted the request ahead of schedule, taking a deliberately cautious approach. The roof installation is expected to take about four and a half months, with a target completion date of mid-October 2027. But Barcelona doesn’t want to gamble on construction delays bleeding into match days. So instead of a mid-season switch, they’d rather just stay put at Montjuic for the entire first half of the campaign.
La Liga president Javier Tebas hasn’t responded yet. The league is reviewing the proposal.
The UEFA complication
There’s a specific reason Barcelona wants this locked in now. Under UEFA rules, clubs have to play all their league-phase home matches in one stadium across a single European campaign. No venue hopping mid-stream. By committing to Montjuic for the entire first half, Barcelona avoids the headache of moving Champions League games partway through group stage.
This wouldn’t be Barcelona’s first extended stay at Montjuic. The club already spent two full seasons there during the earlier stages of the Camp Nou redevelopment — the 2023-24 and 2024-25 campaigns. They also used it for a handful of games last season before returning to the renovated Camp Nou.
What’s happening right now
For the upcoming season, Barcelona expects to be back at the Spotify Camp Nou full time. The Joan Gamper Trophy is scheduled for August 19 at the stadium, though the opponent hasn’t been announced yet. Their first official home league match is set for August 29 or 30 against Rayo Vallecano. That opener was delayed because both Barcelona and Rayo had players involved in World Cup semifinals.
Construction contractor Limak has been working through the summer. The immediate goal is to open part of the third tier in October, pending approval from the Barcelona City Council. That section will come online in phases before reaching full capacity later in the season.
So the roof phase is still a couple years out. But Barcelona is already planning ahead to avoid any logistical chaos. Smart move, honestly. Nobody wants a repeat of the mid-season venue shuffle they had to deal with in 2025.
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