Camp Nou worker death reported during Barcelona stadium reconstruction
Barcelona said a 54-year-old construction worker died in an accident during Camp Nou renovations, with police citing a head injury.
By Daniel Okafor · Business Editor
2 min read
A Camp Nou worker death has occurred during Barcelona’s stadium reconstruction, the club said Saturday, adding that the worker died in a workplace accident at the venue. Catalan police told The Associated Press that the 54-year-old died from a blow to the head.
The accident comes while Barcelona is carrying out a major rebuild of Camp Nou, the club’s home and the largest football stadium in Europe. The project is still under way even though the venue has partially reopened for matches.
What happened at Camp Nou?
Barcelona said in a brief statement that it regretted the death of the worker who lost his life the previous day in the workplace accident. The club also offered condolences to the worker’s family, friends and colleagues.
Catalan police gave The Associated Press the worker’s age and said he died after a head injury. AP reported that police did not provide further details about the circumstances when asked.
Barcelona did not announce additional information about the accident in the statement cited by AP. The club did not detail what part of the stadium project the worker was involved in or whether the incident would affect the construction schedule.
What is the Camp Nou reconstruction project?
Barcelona began a large redevelopment of Camp Nou in 2023, according to AP. The renovation is designed to expand and modernize the stadium while preserving its place as the club’s main home ground.
Camp Nou is already described by AP as Europe’s largest football stadium. Once the work is completed, its capacity is expected to reach 105,000 seats, which would keep it as the biggest stadium in Europe.
Barcelona players returned to Camp Nou in November while construction continued, AP reported. Fans were allowed back in at reduced capacity, meaning the stadium has been operating only partially during the work.
The reconstruction has unfolded alongside a strong run for the team. AP reported that Barcelona have won Spain’s La Liga title in each of the past two seasons.
The club’s next league campaign is due to begin on August 23 away to Elche, according to AP. Barcelona’s first home match at Camp Nou is scheduled for August 27 against Athletic Bilbao.
Barcelona has continued using the venue while parts of the redevelopment remain unfinished. The worker’s death adds a serious incident to a project central to the club’s sporting and financial plans, though no official finding on the cause or responsibility has been announced.
This story draws on original reporting from Al Jazeera.