Official: Barcelona to face Andres Iniesta’s former club in pre-season

FC Barcelona will face off against club legend Andres Iniesta’s former club, Vissel Kobe, in their first pre-season friendly match for the upcoming summer, the Japanese outfit has confirmed.

The fixture will take place on Sunday, 27 July at 19:00 local time in Japan, which corresponds to 12:00 in Barcelona.

The match will be held at the Noevir Stadium in Kobe and will be a charity event to commemorate the 30th anniversary of Vissel Kobe.

This encounter marks a reunion between the two clubs, who last faced each other in the summer of 2022. That match served as the farewell for Iniesta from the Japanese club and ended with a 0-2 victory for Barcelona, with goals from Franck Kessie and Eric Garcia.

ヴィッセル神戸 30周年記念
チャリティーマッチ「𝐅𝐑𝐈𝐄𝐍𝐃𝐋𝐘 𝐌𝐀𝐓𝐂𝐇」
ヴィッセル神戸vs.FCバルセロナ開催決定👑

📅7/27(日)19:00KO
🏟️ノエビアスタジアム神戸

2年ぶりの夢の対決が再び！
一般販売に先駆けてシーズンシートオーナーとVISSEL SHIP会員を対象に先行販売を実施！… pic.twitter.com/G0bSx6gnMa

— ヴィッセル神戸 (@visselkobe) May 12, 2025

Ticket sales for the event will open on 14 May for season ticket holders, and on 20 May for the general public. Prices will range from 9,500 yen (approximately €60) to 164,000 yen (approximately €1,000).

Although the club have not officially announced their full pre-season schedule, reports indicate that Barcelona has already confirmed three pre-season matches: two in South Korea and this third fixture in Japan against Vissel Kobe.

Barcelona expect to generate at least €15 million from the tour, which could further rise based on other commercial agreements and sponsorship agreements.

This revenue is seen as a way to offset the club’s absence from the Club World Cup, which will distribute significant prize money.