The Catalan giants are nearing an agreement with the Egyptian champions for the 2026 showpiece, a move designed to bolster the club’s commercial footprint in Africa.
Barcelona are expected to face Al Ahly in the 2026 Joan Gamper Trophy, with the annual pre-season fixture now close to being finalised. According to SPORT, cited by Tribuna, the two clubs have already agreed on the main terms of the deal, leaving only the final signatures before an official announcement is made.
The match is scheduled for August 19 at Camp Nou and will serve as Barcelona’s final major test before the start of the new campaign. Club officials also view the occasion as an opportunity to deepen the relationship between the two institutions following the transfer of Hamza Abdelkarim, who initially joined the Catalan side on loan before Barcelona completed a permanent move worth €1.5 million, with additional performance-based bonuses.
Choosing Al Ahly is also part of Barcelona’s wider strategy to strengthen its presence in North Africa and the Middle East. The Egyptian giants are one of the continent’s most decorated clubs, having won 45 domestic league titles and 12 CAF Champions League crowns. Before settling on Al Ahly, Barcelona explored the possibility of inviting several European and international clubs, including Borussia Dortmund, Roma, RB Leipzig, Napoli, Ajax, and Cruz Azul, but scheduling issues prevented those fixtures from materialising.