Barça heading back to United States for preseason tour

Led by Hansi Flick, the men’s team are crossing the Atlantic this Sunday for a summer tour featuring three games against Manchester City in Orlando, Real Madrid in New Jersey and AC Milan in Baltimore, the first three fixtures for the German coach since he took the reins at FC Barcelona. The squad will return to Barcelona on August 6 to prepare for the Joan Gamper Trophy match on August 12 against AS Monaco, the last before the official season kicks in.

The first test on the tour is on Tuesday 30 July against Manchester City at the Camping World Stadium, Orlando (7pm in Orlando and 1am Wednesday morning CEST). It’s the first time Barça have ever visited this city in Florida and also means a first meeting with former coach Pep Guardiola on US soil. The last time Barça played the defending Premier League champions was a friendly on 24-8-2022 at the Spotify Camp Nou to raise money for ALS research and promoted by former goalkeeper Juan Carlos Unzué.

Next up is the clash with Real Madrid on Saturday 3 August at the Metlife Stadium, New Jersey (7pm in New Jersey and 1pm Sunday morning CEST), in what has become a classic feature of US tours in recent years, with the famous rivals now having met no fewer than four times in the last seven years.

The trip closes on Tuesday 6 August in Baltimore, another new venue for the team, with a game against AC Milan (7.30pm in Baltimore and 1.30am Wednesday morning CEST), a repeat of the same fixture against the Italian giants played last season at the Allegiant Stadium, Las Vegas.

All three games are part of the Soccer Champions Tour 2024 organised by Sixth Street in association with Legends and AEG. This is the second edition of the tournament, which other than the four sides mentioned here also features Chelsea.

Major institutional presence

BARÇA ON TOUR USA 2024 will be followed by a major institutional and executive entourage, headed by club president Joan Laporta and members of his board, with a number of institutional and commercial activities scheduled that will help to boost the club’s presence in the United States, such a key market in Barça’s strategy to expand its brand globally and to take the team closer to its fan base in the country.

United States, a popular Barça destination 

This is the sixteenth time that FC Barcelona have visited the United States. The first trip, in 1937, played a key role in ensuring the club’s survival, but it has become an especially popular destination in more recent seasons, with the men visiting in 2011, 2015, 2017, 2018 (when they were also joined by the women’s team), 2019, 2022 and 2023. Last season, they actually went there twice because they returned to Dallas for a Christmas fixture against Club America of Mexico.

Sunday 28 July

4pm Departure of FC Barcelona expedition on charter flight CX8787 to Orlando

8pm Arrival of the group at Orlando Airport.

Followed by transfer to The Alfond Inn

Monday 29 July

9.30am Training at the grounds of University of Central Florida (UCF)

Visit to training by a group of children from the Give Kids the World Village program.

6pm Training at the grounds of UCF

7.45pm Welcome Reception Dinner organized by the promoter at Isleworth Golf & Country Clubhouse 

Tuesday 30 July

7pm FC Barcelona v Manchester City at the Camping World Stadium

Wednesday 31 July

10.30am Charter flight EA 3501 Orlando-Baltimore

12.40pm Arrival at Baltimore Airport and transfer to The Westin Annapolis Hotel

6pm Training at the grounds of the US Naval Academy

Thursday 1 August

9.30am Training at the grounds of the US Naval Academy

6pm Training at the grounds of the US Naval Academy

Friday 2 August

9.30am Training at the grounds of the US Naval Academy

6pm Training at the grounds of the US Naval Academy

Saturday 3 August

10.30am Charter flight EA 3502 Baltimore-New York

11:35am Arrival at Newark International Airport and transfer to Teaneck Marriott Hotel at Glenpointe

6.30pm Government of Catalonia Action, Agency for Business Competitiveness institutional event at the MetLife Stadium attended by representatives from the Board of Directors

6.30pm Institutional event with the Catalan Tourist Board with representatives from the tourism sector at the MetLife Stadium attended by representatives from the Board of Directors

7pm FC Barcelona v Real Madrid at the Metlife Stadium

Sunday 4 August

9.30am Commemoration of the 1937 Tour at the Hamilton-Metz Field, Brooklyn attended by the Board of Directors 

12.00pm Visit to the Barça Foundation’s South Bronx United project attended by the Board of Directors

7.30pm Departure from Newark International Airport (EWR) of charter flight EA3503 to Baltimore

8.35pm Arrival at Baltimore International Airport and transfer to The Westin Annapolis hotel

Monday 5 August

9.30am Training at the grounds of the US Naval Academy

6pm Training at the grounds of the US Naval Academy

Tuesday 6 August

7.30pm FC Barcelona v AC Milan at the M&T Bank Stadium

11.00pm Departure from Baltimore-Washington International Airport (BWI) of charter flight CXB787 to Barcelona

Wednesday 7 August

12:50pm Arrival in Terminal 2 of Barcelona Airport 

*All times are local time (-6 hours with respect to CEST).

*The training schedule is subject to change.

* Information as to which training sessions will be partially open to the media and when players might be available will be given in advance