Al Ahly to become first African club to play Barcelona for Joan Gamper Trophy

Al Ahly to become first African club to play Barcelona for Joan Gamper Trophy

Egyptian giants Al Ahly are set to make history after being reportedly chosen as Barcelona’s opponents for the 2026 Joan Gamper Trophy.

If confirmed by the Spanish giants, the record CAF Champions League champions will become the first African club to feature in the Catalan club’s traditional pre-season showpiece.

According to Mundo Deportivo, Barcelona have reached an agreement with Al Ahly to stage the friendly at Spotify Camp Nou on 19 August, with the annual fixture serving as the club’s official presentation of its first-team squad ahead of the 2026-27 season.

Since its inception in 1966, the competition has featured clubs predominantly from Europe and South America. The tournament adopted its current single-match format in 1997 and has since become Barcelona’s traditional final pre-season fixture before the start of a new campaign.

For Al Ahly, the invitation reflects the club’s growing international profile and offers another opportunity to showcase African club football on one of the sport’s biggest stages.

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 population exceeding 110 million and Al Ahly boasting one of the largest fan bases in Africa and the Middle East, the Catalan club reportedly sees the match as an opportunity to further expand its commercial and sporting reach in the region.

The planned meeting also underlines the developing relationship between Barcelona and Al Ahly following the Catalan club’s permanent signing of young Egyptian striker Hamza Abdelkarim after his loan spell during the second half of last season.

Should the fixture go ahead as planned, it will provide Al Ahly with a rare chance to face one of Europe’s biggest clubs at the renovated Spotify Camp Nou.

Send your news stories to [email protected] and via WhatsApp on +233 546310076.

Read Full Story