Barca permitted to expand Camp Nou capacity to 63 000

Barcelona have obtained permission to open their north stand and expand the capacity at their partially rebuilt Camp Nou home to nearly 63 000, the Spanish champions said on Tuesday.

After severe delays in reopening the stadium, which was shut for over two years during building work, the club were able to house fans in three of the four stands with a capacity of 45 000 when they returned in November.

"With the activation of (VIP) spaces and the Gol Norte (north stand), the capacity of the Spotify Camp Nou is extended to 62 652 spectators," said Barca in a statement.

The LaLiga leaders host Sevilla on Sunday in the first match where they can take advantage of the increased capacity, after the city council granted them the necessary licence.

The Catalan giants had initially planned to reopen the stadium in November 2024, coinciding with the club's 125th anniversary, but a string of delays led to their return home being pushed back by a year.

Work will continue at the Camp Nou to build the third level of the stadium, to take it to a capacity of 105 000, and then add a roof, with the €1.5-billion project expected to be completed in the summer of 2027.