Flights scheduled on October 18, 2026, were canceled and delayed at Seville Airport due to severe weather conditions at Barcelona-El Prat Airport, stranding the Barcelona football squad overnight. The team had completed a La Liga match against Real Betis on October 17, 2026, and were waiting aboard their aircraft at Seville Airport past 1 am local time on Sunday, October 18, without clearance to depart.
Weather Conditions at Barcelona-El Prat Airport Affect Flights
Heavy rainfall and thunderstorms at Barcelona-El Prat Airport in Catalonia led to multiple flight cancellations and delays. While the weather in Seville was not implicated, adverse conditions at the destination airport caused outbound flights from
Seville, including the Barcelona squad’s return flight, to be disrupted. The team remained grounded in Seville as air traffic control at Barcelona-El Prat restricted arrivals and departures.
Impact on Barcelona Squad’s Travel and Preparation
The delay forced the Barcelona squad to stay overnight in Seville, disrupting their travel schedule less than 72 hours before a UEFA Champions League fixture against Paris Saint-Germain set for October 20, 2026. The postponement raised concerns regarding the team’s recovery and training plans under coach Hansi Flick as they prepare for the significant European match.
Match Context and La Liga Standing
The flight disruption followed Barcelona’s 5-2 victory at Real Betis’ Estadio Benito Villamarín on October 17, 2026.
Goals came from Lamine Yamal, Rodri, Gabriel Jesus, Eric Garcia, and substitute Dani Olmo. Real Betis scored twice through Valentin Gomez and Ez Abde. This win extended Barcelona’s perfect La Liga record to nine wins in nine games with 27 points and 39 goals scored, maintaining a five-point lead over second-place Atletico Madrid.
