FC Barcelona charging fans £9,000 to lay their ashes at Camp Nou
Barcelona have hit upon a novel way of funding the rising cost of renovating their Camp Nou home: charging fans almost £9,000 to have their ashes laid to rest at the stadium. The Memorial FC Barcelona will consist of a room in the iconic ground with space for 26,000 people’s remains to be stored alongside [...]
Barcelona has devised a unique method to help cover the escalating expenses of renovating their Camp Nou stadium: charging fans a fee of nearly £9,000 to inter their ashes at the iconic ground. This Memorial FC Barcelona project will feature a room within the stadium capable of holding the remains of 26,000 individuals, accompanied by a mural depicting key moments in the club's illustrious history.
Pricing commences at £2,000 for a ten-year spot, escalating to £5,000 for a 50-year arrangement or £8,700 for a permanent fixture with a dedicated plaque. An impressive 1,000 devoted supporters have already claimed their preferred spot. Maria Elena Fort, Barcelona's institutional vice-president, noted that her grandfather once expressed his desire to be buried adjacent to the pitch to hear the goals in the afterlife.
Many fans share this sentiment. The columbarium's design is being overseen by architect Quique Montoya and is a joint venture between the club and company Mes Que Un Memorial. Barcelona's promotional materials describe the Memorial as an endeavor to recognize the connection between the club and its fans, offering a place to preserve personal and family memories that are also part of blaugrana history.
Fans worldwide can pay their respects by interring their loved one's ashes in a columbarium or inscribing a name and message on a commemorative plaque in the stadium. Both options are open to FC Barcelona enthusiasts globally, with no requirement for club membership. Camp Nou's modernization has faced setbacks and increased costs, causing the budget to double to over £1.5 billion.
Despite the delays and financial strain, Barcelona, one of the wealthiest football clubs in the world, has returned to their legendary home, albeit with restricted capacity as the upper tier is under construction. The completed Camp Nou, one of three contenders, is in the running to host the 2034 World Cup final, which is set to be co-hosted by Spain, Portugal, and Morocco.
Real Madrid's Bernabeu Stadium and the Grand Stade Hassan II, under construction in Casablanca with a world-record capacity of 115,000, are the other contenders. This decision has strained relations between Spain and Morocco, prompting Prime Ministerial hopeful Alberto Nunez Feijoo to threaten to withdraw from hosting the tournament if the final is awarded to Morocco.
Written by urgent.news from City AM's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
