New Barcelona arena set to open in 2029

Article posted by Coliseum, July 24^th, 2025

Image: Barcelona City Council

An International Architecture Competition has been launched to transform the Sant Jordi Club arena at the Olympic Ring in Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain.

Info Barcelona said the Sant Jordi Club concert hall will be able to accommodate 9,000 spectators once a two-year refurbishment is concluded in 2029.

The site, which currently has a capacity of 3,500 people, is part of the Anella Olímpica Olympic Ring renovations and will receive a €70 million investment to increase capacity and make technical improvements.

The project is expected to start construction in 2027 and conclude in 2029. During these two years, the Sant Jordi Club will not be available to host events.

The international competition is seeking innovative architectural proposals that place the experience of people and environmental sustainability at their core.

The new Sant Jordi Club will enhance the live music and mid-scale performance experience, thanks to a first-class technical design designed to ensure impeccable acoustics, maximum comfort, universal accessibility, energy efficiency, and versatility. It will double its current capacity to 16,500 square meters.

The space will also have its own architectural identity, in harmony with the Olympic Ring complex and, in particular, with the Palau Sant Jordi, designed by architect Arata Isozaki.

According to a statement shared by the public local company BSM, which is behind the Sant Jordi Club management, the goal is to “offer the best technical, acoustic, and visual quality focusing on people and their experiences.” This is especially important at a time when live music has an important global impact.

After the refurbishment, the site will have a flexible capacity of between 3,500 and 9,000 spectators, which does not currently exist in Barcelona.

Barcelona deputy mayor Laia Bonet highlighted the importance of the renovation during a press conference at the Sant Jordi Club.

“Following two years of planning, the Olympic Ring is taking a step forward to retain its international position that mainly benefits local spectators.

“Many years after [its construction for the 1992 Olympic Games], we are starting to renovate and modernize the Olympic Ring.”

Bonet referred to the over two million spectators that assisted one of the more than 170 events at the Olympic Ring between 2023 and 2024, including the Olympic Stadium Lluís Companys, the Palau Sant Jordi, the Sant Jordi Club, and the Olympic Square.

Of the 2.2 million visitors in 2024, 40% were from Barcelona and its metropolitan area, 43% from Catalonia, 10% from Spain, and 7% from overseas.

Over the next 10 years, Montjuïc will become the city’s major metropolitan park, serving citizens, culture, and sports.

In addition to the transformation of the Olympic Ring, the project includes the renovation of Plaça d’Espanya, the Fira (trade fair), the gardens, and the Sports Palace, as well as the arrival of metro line 2.

Applications for the architectural competition can be submitted until September 30, 2025. Construction will begin in mid-2027 and is expected to be completed in 2029.

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