Egyptian giants Ahly will take on Barcelona in the 61st edition of the prestigious Joan Gamper Trophy on August 19 at Spotify Camp Nou, the club announced on Friday.
In an official statement, Ahly confirmed that the agreement was finalized after a delegation from Al Ahly Football Company, led by board member Ahmed Hossam Awad and CEO Nayera Ali, held meetings in Spain to complete arrangements for the high-profile fixture.
The Cairo-based club described the match as part of its strategy to strengthen its global presence and expand cooperation with leading European clubs and sporting institutions.
According to Spanish newspaper Marca, Ahly's participation is also linked to the transfer of Egyptian forward Hamza Abdelkarim to Barcelona.
The 18-year-old initially joined the Catalan club's academy on loan last winter before Barcelona activated a €1.5 million purchase option, with the deal including a further €5 million in potential add-ons.
The fixture will see Ahly become the first Arab club to participate in the Joan Gamper Trophy since the competition adopted its single-match format in 1997.
Founded in 1966 and named after Barcelona founder Joan Gamper, the annual tournament traditionally serves as the club's official pre-season presentation in front of its supporters.
The upcoming encounter will be the third friendly meeting between the two clubs. Barcelona defeated Ahly 4-0 during the Egyptian club's centenary celebrations in Cairo in 2007 before securing another victory, 4-1, when the sides met at Wembley Stadium in London two years later.
Ahly are scheduled to begin their pre-season training camp in Spain on August 6 as preparations continue ahead of the historic showdown against the Spanish champions.
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