FC Barcelona – one of the biggest football clubs in the world – is coming to Sydney to play an exclusive match against the A-League All Stars at Accor Stadium on Wednesday 25 May.
Boasting a global fan base of 270 million fans and recognised the world over for their iconic blue and garnet colours, La Liga giants Barca have been one of the most successful clubs in The World Game for much of their 123-year history.
But this will be the first time the famous club has ever toured Australia.
Backed by Destination NSW and Venues NSW on behalf of the NSW Government, FC Barcelona’s one-night-only football blockbuster will kick off an amazing month of events in NSW. Barca In Sydney will be staged 48 hours before the Vivid Sydney festival begins.
The match will also be an entree to the Isuzu UTE A-League Men’s Grand Final during the last weekend in May and in the same week as football’s prestigious Dolan Warren Awards.
Minister for Enterprise, Investment and Trade, Minister for Tourism and Sport and Minister for Western Sydney Stuart Ayres said the NSW Government was proud to secure this major event via its tourism and events agency Destination NSW and once again position the Harbour City as the home of football in Australia.
“The FC Barcelona v A-Leagues All Stars match will generate significant international interest and put Australian football back in the international spotlight. It’s an incredible opportunity to showcase both our domestic professional A-Leagues and our beautiful Harbour City to the world,” Mr Ayres said.
“Hosting this sporting star power in Sydney will highlight the city’s attractions and world-class events calendar to football fans around the globe, turbocharging the NSW visitor economy on its road to recovery.”
FC Barcelona Vice-President Marketing Area, Juli Guiu, said: “We are very happy to be able to announce this match in Australia today against the A-Leagues All Stars. This will be the first time the team visits this country, where Barça are generating great interest.
“Being able to play this match will give us the opportunity to bring the Club and its values closer to our fans and will also give us the opportunity for new audiences to get to know FC Barcelona and all that it represents, which has made it a reference entity on and off the pitch.”
Danny Townsend, CEO of Australian Professional Leagues, said: “As we emerge from our third COVID-impacted football season, Australia and the A-Leagues are once again the destination for international teams.
“One of the world’s best teams taking on the best of the A-League just days before the men’s Grand Final is going to deliver a feast of football for fans in Australia during Grand Final Week.”
The A-Leagues All Stars return after an eight-year hiatus, bringing together a team of A-League Men’s players. The coach and team selection process will be announced in the coming days.
Winners of 26 La Liga titles, 5 European Cups, 31 Copa Del Rey trophies and 3 FIFA Club World Cups, FC Barcelona have enjoyed sustained success since their inception in 1899.
Known for their attractive tiki-taka attacking style of football, FC Barcelona has been – and still is – home to some of the best footballers in the world.
FC Barcelona are managed by the legendary Xavi Hernández (known simply as “Xavi”), one of the club’s greatest heroes and recognised as one of the best midfield players of his generation. He played 767 games for the club from 1998-2015.
Since Xavi’s appointment, Barca have signed Adama Traore, Ferran Torres, Pierre Aubameyang and Dani Alves (who has won more trophies than any player in history), joining world class players Sergio Busquets, Frenkie de Jong, Jordi Alba and Gerard Pique. Xavi has not only stabilised the team but has them again playing “the Barca way” and their young stars have lit up the 2021/22 La Liga season.
FC Barcelona have three of the best teenage players in the world who are all current starting players for the Spanish national team – Pedri, Gavi and Ansu Fati.
Barca will line up against an A-Leagues All Stars representative team at the 80,000-seat Accor Stadium in Sydney Olympic Park.
Barca are used to playing in front of massive crowds. The club plays out of the iconic Camp Nou, Europe’s largest stadium with a capacity of 99,354.
Tickets and Barca In Sydney Tour information at: www.barcainsydney.com.au
