New 104,000-capacity football stadium looks unrecognisable as concept pics of ground emerge and major feature approved
Read about how the big opening has been moved forward to 2024
BARCELONA’S Nou Camp looks completely unrecognisable as an incredible new feature received approval.
Barcelona announced in July 2022 they were pressing ahead with plans to modernise their iconic Nou Camp home.
The Catalans have played their home matches at the Olympic Stadium this term while the rebuild is underway.
The project – set to cost a cool £1.25billion – is aiming to finish the refurbishment of the ground in time to move in before the end of the year.
The development will see the capacity expand from 99,354 seats to 104,000, increasing its gap as the largest football ground in Europe – with second place Wembley having a 90,000 capacity.
Fans were left devastated when they saw pictures of the iconic old Nou Camp in a pile of rubble back in August.
But since then they are starting to come around to the stunning new home after pictures of what the Nou Camp now looks like inside were released a month ago.
It will have a host of new features, with escalators and a roof added alongside a stadium rename in line with the club’s £237m sponsorship deal with Spotify.
The ground will not feature a 360-degree electronic board, as explained by club vice-president and spokeswoman Elena Fort.
Now say that the Barcelona Fire Department have given the “green light” for their stunning new ‘skywalk’ project.
BEST FREE BET SIGN UP OFFERS FOR UK BOOKMAKERS
Elena Fort, the institutional vice president of the LaLiga giants, recently revealed that talks were in the final stages for the walkway that will offer a bird’s eye view of the stadium and city from the ground’s ROOF.
However, anyone wanting to use the ‘skywalk’ will have to wait until the roof is fully installed – which will mean it won’t open until 2026.
Despite some other 3S virtual images going viral on social media before, this update states that the location above the box and benches in the Grandstand looks set to be its destination.
It will also be the “most practical for visitors following the tour route through the new museum, locker room tunnel, bench area, and up to the grandstand”.
From there, visitors will get a 360-degree view in which they will be able to see landmarks such as Sagrada Familia, Tibidabo, Montjuïc, and the sea.
Barcelona, who have had well documented financial problems in recent years, are set to earn an extra £25m a year when the revamp is completed.
And the ‘skywalk’ should also help to provide an extra revenue to boost Barcelona’s revenue with only those purchasing a “special ticket” able to access it.
NOU CAMP’S NEW FEATURES
Here are some of the key changes in the incredible new design:
The capacity will be increased from its original 99,354 to a whopping 104,000.
That will make it the largest ground on the continent.
It has received the thumbs-up from firefighters for a mega new ‘skywalk’ that will be located on the roof.
That will provide amazing views of the city and its landmarks such as Sagrada Familia, Tibidabo, Montjuïc.
The Nou Camp will also boost the largest roof in Europe once the work has finished.
A host of other new features will also include hundreds of escalators.
Meaning even those seated up in the gods will not have a strenuous journey to their seats.
However, the one thing it won’t have is a 360-degree electronic board hanging down from the roof.
Barca also moved recently to ease fears that the Nou Camp will not be ready for its planned December unveiling.
It was initially anticipated that the work will be completed in time for the start of the 2025/26 season before Barcelona updated the city’s Technical Architecture Association on its ahead-of-schedule progress.
President Joan Laporta then said everything is on track to host a match in the Nou Camp before Christmas this year.
And it is hoped that the first phase of construction work would be completed in November to coincide with the 125th anniversary of the club.
That fixture would reportedly see the stadium operate with a 60 per cent capacity, with the first and second tiers of the stadium open.
