Ahly's delegation at Barcelona. Photo: Ahly's official website
In an official statement, Ahly confirmed that the agreement for the 61st edition of the annual pre-season exhibition was finalized following a brief visit to Spain by a delegation from Al Ahly Football Company, led by board member Ahmed Hossam Awad and Chief Executive Officer Nayera Ali.
The Cairo giants emphasized that the high-profile encounter forms an integral part of the club's to strengthen the club's global profile and open new avenues of cooperation with major European clubs and sporting institutions.
Spanish outlet Marca had previously reported that Ahly's involvement stems partly from the transfer of Hamza Abdelkarim, the Egyptian forward who moved from the Red Devils to Barcelona.
The 18-year-old initially joined Barcelona's academy on loan last winter before impressing enough for the Catalan club to trigger a purchase option worth €1.5 million, with a further €5 million available in add-ons.
The match will mark a historic milestone for regional football, as Ahly are set to become the first Arab club to compete in the Joan Gamper Trophy since Barcelona introduced the single-match format in 1997.
Established in 1966 and named in honor of Barcelona’s founding member and former president, the annual summer showpiece serves as the Catalan club’s traditional pre-season presentation to their supporters.
This will be the third friendly meeting between the two sides, as their first encounter came in 2007 during Ahly's centenary celebrations in Cairo, where the Spanish giants claimed a 4-0 victory.
Two years later, both teams met again at Wembley Stadium in London, with the Catalan side emerged victorious with a 4-1 win.
Ahly are due to kick off their pre-season training camp in Spain on 6 August as they step up preparations for the new campaign ahead of the Barcelona fixture.
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