Ferran Olivé: Barça expects up to €450m once Camp Nou is finished

Ferran Olivé, FC Barcelona’s economic vice-president, laid out both priorities and figures in the General Ordinary Assembly held on 19 September, and later reiterated the message on Cadena SER’s ‘Què t’hi jugues!’. In his view, the club’s lasting financial recovery depends mainly on one thing: completing the Spotify Camp Nou works so the first team can operate properly and revenue streams can improve.

Finish the stadium first

Olivé said the period after he took office was marked by negative financial fair play and that it took “five years” to reach a 1-1 position. His main concern, he stressed, is getting the stadium finished. With the Camp Nou completed and the squad functioning, he argued, sponsors will come in and the club will sell more in its shops—creating a reinforcing cycle. That is why he asked members to consider raising the financing limit, describing it as “the cornerstone” of the plan.

He also put a specific estimate on potential matchday and commercial income. According to Olivé, earlier projections—when the study was done and investors joined—put the Camp Nou around €350m–€375m. But the latest calculation moves the range to €425m–€450m, bolstered by the fact that VIP seats are “practically sold out”, despite fears that selling them would be harder at the start.

Cash flow and Espai Barça timelines

Olivé went on to justify the expansion of Espai Barça financing to €1,800m in credit. He explained that while the increase had been planned in the FT, delays and project changes meant that interests began to run later than expected, creating a cash-flow problem. As a result, Barça requested €210m in media notes and an additional €300m extension to complete the stadium. He added that the first €100m would go to repay the investors.

On the schedule, he said the Camp Nou’s roof should be completed between October and November 2027, while the budget assumes a return to the stadium in January 2028 with 95,000 spectators. He also confirmed that Barça expects fair play to be positive in January, although to sign new players they “should sell” first.

Finally, the vice-president addressed the new Palau Blaugrana. He confirmed the intention to bring an investor to finance the build and run the arena with events, aiming to prevent the club’s debt from rising further. Olivé said the project will be tendered “this season” but did not set a date for the first stone.