Barça partially fulfills promise at Camp Nou

BarcelonaOne more season, Barça's season ticket holders will have to live with the provisional situation. The Camp Nou is not yet finished and, with 60,000 seats available, only a part of the season ticket holders can fit in the stadium. Therefore, provisional passes are maintained and season tickets remain on hold. However, the prices do change, being between 30% and 35% more expensive than last season. The club announced this to its members this Thursday, precisely on the day the process to renew these passes for the 2026/27 season began.

The Camp Nou is not yet finished and, with 60,000 seats available, only a part of the season ticket holders can fit in the stadium. Therefore, provisional passes are maintained and season tickets remain on hold. However, the prices do change, being between 30% and 35% more expensive than last season. The club announced this to its members this Thursday, precisely on the day the process to renew these passes for the 2026/27 season began.

The price increase has generated some backlash on social media, but the rise is not so sharp if one considers that last season began with three matches at the Johan Cruyff stadium – which were deducted from the season ticket – continued at Montjuïc, and ended at the Camp Nou. Therefore, this is the first full season at the stadium, which, for the moment, can only reopen the first and second tiers.

Watching the whole season from the upper tier of the grandstand costs 1,443 euros, compared to 1,092 last season, 32% more; while being in the lower tier of the grandstand costs 1,318 euros, 34% more than the 987 last season. The most significant increase is in the second tier of the goals, which goes from 462 to 622 (+35%), and the most moderate rise is in the lower part of the goals, from 420 to 547, 30%. This part of the stadium is affected by visibility problems that prevent seeing the entire pitch from the front rows. A situation that the entity is working to resolve as soon as possible.

Average 10% increase compared to the last year before the start of the reform

A couple of years ago, Joan Laporta's board – who, from a legal standpoint, will be president of Barça again on July 1st – announced in various meetings with fan groups that they would implement a price containment policy upon returning to the Camp Nou; and that any increases, if they occurred, would come once the works were finished. The board has partially kept this promise, as compared to the last year before the renovations, the price of season tickets has increased by around 10%. There are a couple of exceptions: the lower tier of the main stand has become slightly more expensive, by just over 2%, going from 1,286 in the 22/23 season to the current 1,318; while the biggest difference is noticeable in the corner of the second tier, which goes from 571 euros before the renovation to the current 749 (+22%). Furthermore, it must be taken into account that the stadium is still under construction, that some services are not yet available, and that some amenities, such as the roof, are pending construction.

For now, only the first and second tiers are operational. The third tier, even though the structure is already built, will not be available to the public until the first quarter of 2027. And with partial capacity, as the club's forecast is that, with luck, they can return to 100% capacity before the summer of 2027. Afterwards, the roof will be installed – during this time, they will have to exile themselves to Montjuïc again – and, by 2028, the renovation will be considered complete. It will be at this point when the club considers a significant increase in season ticket prices, which some consulted sources place at around an additional 30%. The board maintains that the decision has not yet been made and avoids discussing specific figures.

by 2028, the renovation will be considered complete. It will be at this point when the club considers a significant increase in season ticket prices, which some consulted sources place at around an additional 30%. The board maintains that the decision has not yet been made and avoids discussing specific figures.

A seat is guaranteed, but the ability to repeat in the same zone is not guaranteed

Therefore, the provisionality continues. Since there is no room for everyone at the moment, the board of directors – still temporarily chaired by Rafael Yuste – has decided to maintain the same policy of recent years: to give priority to members who supported the team and bought a season ticket. Those on leave of absence will maintain this status until the stadium reaches 100% capacity. Therefore, members who already had a pass – both those who started the season at Montjuïc and those who joined later with the reopening of the North Stand – are guaranteed a seat at the Camp Nou for this season. However, their exact spot is not guaranteed. The club opened the process this Thursday the 25th at 12 noon, and it will be operational until July 1st at midnight.

This process has generated controversy, because Barça informed about it through an email sent to members this Thursday at 9 am, only three hours before it was launched. Furthermore, since only the right to have a seat is reserved, but not the area itself, it is possible that some areas sell out immediately and fans have to choose an alternative, with the disadvantage this entails in terms of cost and visibility.

In fact, the club had not previously published the prices for these season tickets, which members did not know until they started the purchase process. However, for those who cannot afford to pay the full amount at once, Barça once again allows payment in installments.