Barcelona have named a surprise English opponent as part of their pre-season plans.
According to Mundo Deportivo, the Blaugranas are poised to make an unexpected stop in the English Midlands for a pre-season friendly against Championship side Birmingham City.
Barcelona are close to confirming their summer schedule, and the Championship side is expected to be named in an official announcement soon.
The game is part of Barcelona’s training camp at St George’s Park, which is the home and elite training base for all 24 national football teams in England.
Hansi Flick’s squad are reportedly planning to spend two weeks at the facility between July 27 and August 8 during preparations for the 2026/27 campaign.
This would be the third time Barcelona have chosen St George’s Park as their pre-season base, having previously trained there in 2014 and 2016.
The decision to remain in England for the opening phase of pre-season comes as the club adjusts its summer plans around the upcoming World Cup in North America.
The showpiece event has effectively thrown a wrench into the club’s traditional United States tour.
Birmingham’s location close to Burton upon Trent is believed to have played a major role in Barcelona selecting the club for the friendly.
While supporters may not see every major star involved, the game would still attract huge attention.
Several Barcelona players are expected to be given extended breaks if they reach the latter stages of the World Cup with their national teams.
The fixture would also revive a historic European connection between the two clubs.
Barcelona and Birmingham have faced each other five times in the old Inter-Cities Fairs Cup, the competition that eventually became the UEFA Cup.
One of the most memorable meetings came in 1960, when Barcelona defeated Birmingham in the final after a draw at St Andrew’s and a convincing victory at the Nou Camp.
The friendly is expected to kick off Barcelona’s summer tour, with additional matches in Kenya and Morocco reportedly under discussion as the Spanish champions prepare for another demanding season.
