Al Ahly to make history as first Arab Club to feature in Barcelona’s Joan Gamper Trophy

Egyptian giants Al Ahly are set to make history after securing an invitation to participate in Barcelona’s prestigious Joan Gamper Trophy, with the two clubs scheduled to meet at Spotify Camp Nou on August 19.

Al Ahly confirmed the landmark fixture in an official statement on Friday, revealing that the agreement for the 61st edition of Barcelona’s annual pre-season exhibition match was finalized following a short visit to Spain by a delegation from Al Ahly Football Company.

The delegation was led by board member Ahmed Hossam Awad and Chief Executive Officer Nayera Ali, who concluded arrangements for the historic encounter with the Spanish giants.

The Cairo-based club said the fixture represents part of its broader strategy to enhance its international presence, strengthen its global brand and create new opportunities for collaboration with leading European clubs and sporting organizations.

Spanish newspaper Marca previously reported that Al Ahly’s participation is partly linked to the transfer of young Egyptian forward Hamza Abdelkarim from the Red Devils to Barcelona.

The 18-year-old joined Barcelona’s academy on loan last winter and impressed sufficiently for the Catalan club to activate a purchase option worth €1.5 million. The deal could rise by an additional €5 million through performance-related add-ons.

The match will mark a significant moment for Arab football, as Al Ahly are set to become the first Arab club to feature in the Joan Gamper Trophy since Barcelona adopted the current single-match format in 1997.

Founded in 1966, the Joan Gamper Trophy is named after Barcelona founder and former president Joan Gamper and traditionally serves as the club’s pre-season curtain-raiser, allowing supporters to welcome the squad ahead of a new campaign.

The upcoming meeting will be the third time Al Ahly and Barcelona have faced each other. Their first encounter came in 2007 during Al Ahly’s centenary celebrations in Cairo, where Barcelona secured a convincing 4-0 victory.

The two sides met again in 2009 at Wembley Stadium in London, with Barcelona once more emerging winners, this time by a 4-1 scoreline.

Al Ahly will begin their pre-season preparations with a training camp in Spain on August 6 as they build towards the historic clash against Barcelona and the start of the new football season.