FC Barcelona is set to make upwards of $10 million in the United States this summer, according to AS.
This is because for the third year running, the Blaugrana will hold its preseason tour in the North American country as it prepares for a 2024/2025 campaign that will be overseen by a new head coach.
Barca is yet to appoint a manager that will succeed the outgoing Xavi Hernandez.
Club legend Xavi announced that he will step down from his high pressure role on June 30, but president Joan Laporta and Sporting Director Deco don’t appear to be in any kind of rush to appoint a replacement.
The chosen candidate won’t have much of a say when it comes to some things such as commercial events on the tour, but his opinion could be important on its start and finish dates plus how training is conducted.
To simplify logistics this time round, Barca reportedly plans to keep its tour limited to the east coast of the United States which means that New York and Miami are prime candidates for hosting friendlies.
In 2023, Barca planned to play Juventus in the San Francisco 49ers’ Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara only for that match to be cancelled because of a sickness outbreak among the squad.
The show went on with a 5-3 loss to Arsenal in Inglewood in the same state, before Barca headed further east for a 3-0 win over bitter rivals Real Madrid at the Dallas Cowboys’ home in Arlington, Texas prior to the tour wrapping up in Las Vegas through a 1-0 defeat at the hands of AC Milan.
With Madrid similarly carrying out its preseason preparations in the U.S., an instalment of the world’s biggest football derby El Clasico is guaranteed to be the highlight of the two eternal enemies’ tours and provide a considerable payday for all concerned.
According to AS, Barca has been “systematically organising pre-seasons in the United States … and obtaining huge profits” that have been estimated at almost $11 million.
Such sums are welcomed by Laporta in times of economic hardship, when a debt-ridden club will attempt to navigate Financial Fair Play limits once more upon buying new players and registering their contracts, or those of existing squad members that have renewed.
