FC Barcelona to come to Florida for July friendly
FC Barcelona is making a summer stop in South Florida for the third time in six years; but this time, it will be a more intimate occasion and tickets surely will be at a premium.
Inter Miami announced Thursday morning that the club will face Spanish powerhouse Barcelona in a friendly match at DRV PNK Stadium in Fort Lauderdale on July 19. The match is set to kick off at 7:30 p.m.
Barcelona drew a crowd of 57,062 for a 2019 friendly against Napoli at Hard Rock Stadium and a sellout 66,014 for the
2017 “El Clasico” against Real Madrid at Hard Rock Stadium. DRV PNK Stadium seats only 18,000, so expect a quick sellout.
Tickets will go on sale on May 25 for Inter Miami season ticket holders. More details will be shared via email in the coming days. Non-Season Ticket Members interested in signing up for priority access can register at www.intermiamicf.com/ miamivsbarcelona.
Fans that register will be eligible for an exclusive pre-sale beginning on May 26 while supplies last. In the case of remaining tickets, the general public will have access beginning at 10 a.m. on May 27.
“To bring a club the caliber of FC Barcelona to South Florida will continue to put our region on the map as a global fútbol epicenter,” said Inter Miami chief business officer Xavier Asensi. “We are proud and excited to bring this great game to DRV PNK Stadium for our growing, passionate and multi-cultural fanbase.”
Added Inter Miami chief soccer officer and sporting director Chris Henderson: “We look forward to welcoming FC Barcelona during their preparation for the 202223 LaLiga season. The team is excited for the challenge to match up against some of the most talented players in the world.”
The Blaugranas are managed by club legend and head coach Xavi Hernandez and features a star-studded roster including U.S. national team fullback Sergiño Dest; 2021 Golden Boy winner Pedri, Uruguayan international Ronald Araújo and Spanish international
Ansu Fati; FIFA World Cup winners Sergio Busquests and Gerard Piqué; dynamic attackers PierreEmerick Aubameyang and Ferran Torres; and German international goalkeeper Marc-André ter Stegen, among many others.
“We are proud to return to the United States and play these two games in a country that is strategic for us as it is a territory where we have a large fan base and where football has experienced great growth in recent years, especially among the new generations,” said FC Barcelona vice-president of marketing Juli Guiu. “This visit will allow us to get closer to our fans, share with them our values and our Barcelona feeling and it will be an opportunity for them to enjoy our team on the pitch.”
Barcelona will also play the New York Red Bulls on July 30 at Red Bull Arena, and another “Clasico” against Real Madrid is in the works for Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas.
In addition to the Barca game, DRV PNK Stadium will host “The Beautiful Game by R10 & RC3” on June 18, a celebrity soccer match organized by legends Ronaldinho and Roberto Carlos.
Among those scheduled to play: Argentine midfielder Paulo Dybala, Argentine defender Javier Mascherano, Colombian forward Radamel Falcao, Uruguayan defender Diego Lugano, Brazilian midfielder Elano and former NFL player and soccer enthusiast Chad Johnson. Tickets are available through Ticketmaster.