FC Barcelona Contemplates Expansion of Ciutat Esportiva: A Vision for Growth

The FC Barcelona board, led by President Joan Laporta, is actively considering an expansion of the Ciutat Esportiva Joan Gamper. With an increasing number of teams and athletes across the club’s six professional sections, the current facilities are proving inadequate to meet the growing demands. The board aims to enhance the infrastructure to better serve the club’s athletes.

While still in its early stages, this idea has sparked discussions within the club and the board, which is exploring ways to expand the current complex, taking into account the club’s economic situation. One proposal under consideration involves utilizing the club’s land in Viladecans to create an extension of the existing Ciutat Esportiva. This would entail relocating some of the current activities to the new facility.

The club acquired the Viladecans land, nearly 28 hectares, for 18 million euros in 2008 during Laporta’s previous tenure. At that time, the purchase was described as a “strategic land reserve,” and it is designated for sports-related developments according to the Metropolitan General Plan. This option would leverage the additional space without incurring significant costs for the club.

To facilitate this expansion and avoid additional financial burdens, the board is contemplating selling the Can Rigalt land. Originally purchased in 1997 for 1.5 million euros during Núñez’s presidency, it was later sold for 35.4 million euros in 2005 under Laporta’s administration. The club, under Bartomeu’s presidency, repurchased the land for 47 million euros following a judicial order in 2015. The current board, led by Laporta, conducted a revaluation, increasing its estimated value to 33.3 million euros due to planned residential and hospital constructions.

The board’s strategy involves selling the Can Rigalt land and completely divesting from it. The proceeds from this transaction could then be redirected toward achieving one of their key objectives: expanding the current Ciutat Esportiva. While this plan is still in the exploratory and deliberative phase, projects such as the Spotify Camp Nou remodel and the new Palau construction are expected to be completed well before any Ciutat Esportiva expansion takes shape.