What to expect from Barcelona’s pre-season in Asia and who they might face | OneFootball

Barcelona have recently secured a partnership with a South Korean promotion company to play four pre-season friendly matches in Asia during the summer of 2025.

This agreement, confirmed by SPORT, also includes a potential fifth match to be held before May 30, 2025.

As reported by the outlet, the deal will see the Blaugrana participate in “The Tournament,” a series of exhibition games arranged for them in Asian territory.

Speculative details of the pre-season

The structure of the tournament is expected to feature four friendly matches, with two taking place in Japan and the other two in South Korea. While the locations are mostly set, the exact distribution of the matches is still being finalised.

Additionally, the teams that will compete against Barcelona remain unknown, but one of the matches is likely to be against a selection of stars from the South Korean league.

Barcelona will play pre-season in Asia. (Photo by CHARLY TRIBALLEAU/AFP via Getty Images)

Another possible opponent is Liverpool, as both teams will not be involved in the Club World Cup held in the United States, which opens the door for a pre-season clash between them.

FIFA Club World the key

The global expansion of football events, including the recent introduction of a new FIFA competition in North America, has played a key role in Barcelona’s decision to return to Asia for their traditional pre-season tour.

While details of the agreement with the Korean promoters are still being worked out, the additional friendly match before May 30 remains pending.

The timing and opponent for this game will likely depend on Barcelona’s progress in the Champions League.

The Champions League final, scheduled for May 31 in Munich, could affect the possibility of playing this pre-season match in Asia. If Barcelona reach the final, their participation in the friendly could be unlikely.

The club will conclude their La Liga season on May 25 against Athletic Club, meaning this potential friendly would likely be scheduled in the final days of May, as long as Barcelona are not playing in the European final.