This past Sunday I had the privilege of going to my first ever European soccer match at the grand stage of Camp Nou. It was an experience like no other and far surpassed all of the expectations I had going in. In this blog, I am going to walk those who’ve never been to a match through what the building is like, the ease of access, the concessions, and the fan experience.
Construction History
Camp Nou has been the home of FC Barcelona since its construction completed in 1957, and even though it’s in it’s 66thseason, it doesn’t feel out dated. In 1980 the stadium went through its first of two renovations, adding VIP areas, boxes, a third tier, and a 16,500 person increase in standing room. In total, that renovation added 38,650 to Camp Nou’s capacity, bringing the total to 121,041.
The second renovation occurred in 1994 and lowered the pitch by 2.5 meters. This allowed the standing areas behind the goals to be converted into seats, along with the lower seating areas to be expanded. Standing areas allow more people to pack into the stadium, so this second renovation brought the capacity of Camp Nou down to its current level of 99,354.
Ease of Entry
According to the Olympic website, a capacity of 99,354 makes Barca’s home pitch the fourth largest stadium in the world, something I was unaware of before Sunday. Most would think that a stadium built in 1957 with nearly a hundred thousand seats would be a nightmare getting into, but the opposite is true. Camp Nou was the most efficient stadium I have ever been in.
The 21 security gates (accesses) are a five minute walk from the 107 stadium entry points (gates). You can enter through any access, but you must scan your ticket at the gate listed on that ticket. In most stadiums I have been to, the accesses and gates are combined into one entry point, causing a buildup of traffic around the start time of the game. This past Sunday, I thought I arrived late when I got the the access 10-15 minutes before start time, but within 10 minutes I was in my seat, with a beer and a sandwich in my hands!
Concessions
Now on the topic of food and beverages, I have one serious problem with Camp Nou. That beer that I just mentioned was alcohol free, and I had no idea until I killed 4 of them in the first half and felt nothing but a gloated gut. Estrellas flow like water in Barcelona, so why they don’t list that the Estrellas sold in the stadium have no alcohol, I have no clue. It should be a crime if you ask me. I also might just be mad at myself for enjoying them.
On a good note, the food is very cheap. You can get a combo of a sandwich and a drink for 11 Euros. I find myself spending a minimum 15 dollars on food while at US arenas, and a drink isn’t included. With no tax either, the concessions in Camp Nou definitely beat out the arenas in New England that I have frequented.
Fan experience
Being a diehard Boston sports enthusiast, I am no stranger to dedicated and crazed fans. This being said, the Barca fans are like none I have ever seen. Before the opening touch, the entire stadium erupted in song, similar to a fight song in college football, but unique in its own right. I was able to capture some of it on video, so turn up your volume and enjoy:
Chants continued for the entire match. The fans behind the goal opposite of me didn’t stop for the whole 45 minuted of each half, and the energy in their voices and drums never died down. I had an older man seated behind me and a young child seated in front of me, and both shouted their heads off whenever the chants made it to our side. It was 90 minutes of beautiful madness, and lucky for me, the one goal of the match happened to be scored on our side:
By the end of the match, I found myself singing, clapping, and cheering along with all of Camp Nou.
I have loosely followed soccer my whole life, and because of this I never really picked teams in La Liga or the Premier League to call my own. After my experience this past Sunday, I am officially committing to Barca being my team in La Liga for the rest of my life. I hope everybody gets a chance to make it to a soccer match at some point in their lives, it truly is like nothing I’ve ever experienced before.