Football giant Barcelona to meet A-League All Stars in Sydney

A crowd of 80,000 is expected to pack Sydney’s Accor Stadium for next month’s visit by Barcelona.

Barcelona’s players are heading to Australia next month. Picture: LLUIS GENE / AFP

World football giant FC Barcelona will visit Australia for the first time next month to take on the A-League All Stars in Sydney.

On May 25 – just three days after the scheduled completion of its Spanish La Liga campaign – Barcelona will play at Accor Stadium in front of an expected crowd of 80,000.

“We are very happy to be able to announce this match in Australia today against the A-League All Stars,” FC Barcelona’s vice-president of marketing, Juli Guiu, said.

“This will be the first time the team visits this country, where Barça are generating great interest.

“Being able to play this match will give us the opportunity to bring the club and its values closer to our fans and will also give us the opportunity for new audiences to get to know FC Barcelona and all that it represents, which has made it a reference entity on and off the pitch.”

Barcelona, which has a global fan base of 270 million people, has won 26 La Liga titles, five European Cups, 31 Copa Del Rey trophies and three FIFA Club World Cups.

Now under the guidance of the club’s retired midfield legend, Xavi Hernández, Barceloaa is sitting second on this season’s La Liga ladder, behind arch rivals Real Madrid.

Barcelona coach Xavi Hernández is bringing his team to Australia. Picture: LLUIS GENE / AFP

The match against the A-League All Stars will also be part of the A-League men’s grand final week celebrations.

Australian Professional Leagues CEO Danny Townsend said: “As we emerge from our third Covid-impacted football season, Australia and the A-League are once again the destination for international teams.

“One of the world’s best teams taking on the best of the A-League just days before the men’s grand final is going to deliver a feast of football for fans in Australia during grand final week.”

A match featuring the A-League All Stars hasn’t taken place since 2014. Previous opponents were Manchester United and Juventus.

Manchester United is also coming to Australia this year to meet Melbourne Victory (July 15) and Crystal Palace (July 19) at the MCG.