Design & Development

Barcelona starts work on adapting Estadi Olímpic Lluís Companys

Estadi Olímpic Lluís Companys in Barcelona, Spain

Featured image credit: FC Barcelona

FC Barcelona has commenced renovation work at Estadi Olímpic Lluís Companys, the Spanish LaLiga football club’s temporary home for the 2023-24 season.

The club in June confirmed an agreement with Barcelona City Council to spend the 2023-24 season at the Estadi Olímpic Lluís Companys while renovation work is carried out at Spotify Camp Nou.

Barcelona will be permitted to use the stadium between August 2023 and May 2024, with the venue set to have a capacity of 55,000 for matches played by the club.

The council, which owns the stadium, will transfer the venue to the club for men’s first-team matches and in the days before and after games. Barcelona will also be able to occasionally use the stadium for training sessions and other events, including matches played by its women’s team in the latter stages of the Champions League.

In association with Barcelona de Servicios Municipales (B:SM), manager of the Estadi Olímpic, Barcelona has now started work to adapt the stadium to its needs, and the requirements of domestic and international competitions in which it plays.

Barcelona has started with work on the pitch, changing the drainage, irrigation and water treatment system. In addition, it is also adapting it to the necessary dimensions established by the club. General conditioning work on the Estadi Olímpic will then begin in relation to the changing rooms, the press and hospitality areas, and the installation of television broadcasting facilities.

Barcelona and the Council yesterday (Thursday) also signed off on an agreement that aims to improve access to the Estadi Olímpic, and reduce the impact on the local Montjuïc area, while the club takes up temporary residency.

Funicular services will be expanded and a shuttle bus service will be enabled from the main public transport access points. If necessary due to the time of a game, it is also planned to extend the hours of the Metro service. To promote sustainable mobility in the mountains, a bike lane will also be set up between Plaza España and Miramar, along with three new stations for the city’s bicycle-sharing service, Bicing.

The lighting of the main walking paths will be improved and improvements made to the pedestrian paths between public transport and the stadium.

Barcelona this month teamed up with Legends International to market VIP boxes and seats at the renovated Camp Nou.

Barcelona said the deal would complement an agreement with Innovative Partnerships Group (IPG 360), which will look to sign partners for the club’s wide-ranging Espai Barça project. Both agreements will be designed to maximise revenue generation at the Camp Nou, which is undergoing a significant revamp as part of the project.

The club has been using the domestic break during the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar to work on the renovation of the Camp Nou, with the outer ring of the stadium being demolished. The bulk of the work will be done during the 2023-24 season.

Camp Nou’s capacity will increase from 98,000 to 105,000 as part of the Espai Barça project, which also includes the delivery of a new Palau Blaugrana arena and the wide-ranging Campus Barça development.