FC Barcelona return to the United States to play two friendlies against Inter Miami CF and the New York Red Bulls

FC Barcelona’s Men’s first team will be back in the United States to play two friendlies against Inter Miami and the New York Red Bulls this summer. The matches will take place in Miami on July 19th and in New York on July 30^th. Barça will begin preparations for the 2022/23 season with two games to be played at the home stadiums of their opponents, the DRV PNK Stadium in South Florida and Red Bull Arena in New Jersey.

Fifth visit to the United States in eight years

After two summers without a pre-season tour due to the coronavirus crisis, FC Barcelona will return to the United States three years after its latest visit. In the summer of 2019, the team coached by Ernesto Valverde played two friendlies against Napoli in Miami (Florida) and Ann Arbor (Michigan), after having also visited Japan a few days earlier.

In the last decade, the United States has been a regular destination for Barça's first team. The team traveled there in 2011, 2015, 2017, 2018 and 2019, including a joint tour with Barça Women - playing a total of three matches on each occasion on American soil.

Inter Miami CF: Beckham and Neville

The match on July 19-7.30 pm ET- will be against Inter Miami, a club founded in 2018 and that made its MLS debut in 2020. The club’s ownership group is composed of Jorge and Jose Mas, as well as soccer legend and icon, David Beckham, and is managed by Head Coach Phil Neville, Beckham’s former teammate at Manchester United. The Inter Miami squad includes players such as Argentine Gonzalo Higuaín, United States Men’s National Team fullback DeAndre Yedlin, former Arsenal player Kieran Gibbs and Ecuadorian international Leonardo Campana.

Inter Miami recently began its third MLS season with a revamped and dynamic squad that plays their home matches at the electric DRV PNK Stadium.

The New York Red Bulls: records against Barça

On July 30^th, -7pm ET- Barça’s opponents will be the New York Red Bulls, one of the original members of Major League Soccer. Founded in 1994, the New York team is coached by Gerhard Struber, a former Austrian professional footballer. Also on the roster is player Caden Clark who is on loan from German club RB Leipzig and a former Barça Residency Academy player. The match will be played at Red Bull Arena in Harrison, New Jersey, with capacity for 25,000 spectators.

This will be the third meeting between the New Yorkers and the Catalans. During the 2006 and 2008 tours, Barça faced the New York Red Bulls at MetLife Stadium, formally known as Giants Stadium, with current FC Barcelona coach Xavi Hernández playing in both encounters. Barça won both matches: 4-1 in 2006 and 6-2 in 2008.

The American market is a top priority for the globalization and expansion of the Barça brand.  Soccer is experiencing tremendous growth in the US and expectation is that the trend will continue as the World Cup tournaments both abroad and on American soil approach in the coming years. FC Barcelona opened its US office in New York in 2016 and is continuing its efforts to build deeper connections with existing fans, win new fans and engage with local sponsors to further develop the soccer ecosystem in the country.

Juli Guiu, Vice-president, Marketing Area, FC Barcelona

"We are proud to return to the United States and play these two games in a country that is strategic for us as it is a territory where we have a large fan base and where football has experienced great growth in recent years, especially among the new generations. This visit will allow us to get closer to our fans, share with them our values ​​and our Barcelona feeling and it will be an opportunity for them to enjoy our team on the pitch.”

Marc de Grandpré, General Manager, New York Red Bulls

"We are extremely honored to host FC Barcelona at Red Bull Arena, one of the premier soccer venues in all of North America. Since 2010, we have proudly hosted many of the top men's and women's clubs throughout the world and on July 30, we look forward to writing a new chapter in this stadium's history when welcoming Barça for a match against our New York Red Bulls."

Xavi Asensi, Chief Business Officer, Inter Miami CF

“To bring a club the caliber of FC Barcelona to South Florida will continue to put our region on the map as a global fútbol epicenter. We are proud and excited to bring this great game to DRV PNK Stadium for our growing, passionate and multi-cultural fanbase.”

Chris Henderson, Miami CF Chief Soccer Officer and Sporting Director, Inter Miami FC

“We look forward to welcoming FC Barcelona during their preparation for the 2022-2023 LaLiga season. The team is excited for the challenge to match up against some of the most talented players in the world.”