Al Ahly set for historic Barcelona clash in Joan Gamper Trophy

Egyptian champions Al Ahly are set to become the first African and Arab club to contest Barcelona’s traditional Joan Gamper Trophy after the two clubs reportedly reached an agreement to meet in a pre-season friendly ahead of the 2026-27 campaign.

According to Mundo Deportivo, the annual curtain-raiser will be played at Spotify Camp Nou on 19 August, where Barcelona will officially present their first-team squad to supporters before the start of the new season.

Historic opportunity for African champions

If confirmed, the fixture would mark a significant milestone for African football, with Al Ahly becoming the first club from Africa or the Arab world to feature in the Joan Gamper Trophy.

Since its introduction in 1966, the competition has traditionally featured opponents from Europe and South America. The format was reduced to a single-match event in 1997, with Barcelona using it as their final pre-season fixture.

The proposed meeting would therefore represent a landmark occasion for both Al Ahly and African club football.

Barcelona eye wider regional audience

The report says Barcelona view the fixture as part of a broader strategy to strengthen the club’s presence in Egypt and across the Arab world.

With Egypt’s large population and Al Ahly’s extensive support throughout Africa and the Middle East, the Catalan club reportedly sees the match as an opportunity to engage with one of football’s biggest fan bases outside Europe.

Clubs continue growing relationship

The planned friendly would also further strengthen the relationship between the two clubs following Barcelona’s permanent signing of young Egyptian forward Hamza Abdelkarim after his loan spell during the second half of last season.

For Al Ahly, the occasion would provide another opportunity to showcase African club football on one of the sport’s biggest stages, while Barcelona would continue the tradition of unveiling their squad in front of home supporters before the new campaign begins.