Board makes two new penyes official
The FC Barcelona board of directors has granted official status to two new penyes, the Penya Blaugrana Fresno in the United States and the Penya Barcelonista Massalcoreig in Catalonia. Fresno becomes the 163rd international penya and the 14th in the United States, while there are now 59 clubs in the Lleida region.
PB Massalcoreig championing sport
The Penya Barcelonista Massalcoreig is based in Lleida, Catalonia and currently has 70 members. One of its priorities to to foster sport in the town, and especially football, through tournaments and friendly matches for youngsters.
It also hopes to run charity events as well as supporting the Barça teams on their travels. In short, to be the focal point for Barça supporters in Massalcoreig.
PB Fresno supporting the community through Barça
The Penya Blaugrana Fresno already has 70 members but expects to see those numbers rise very quickly is hoping to promote football in the Californian city, to watch matches together at its clubhouse and to attend different events in its region. In fact, even before becoming official it was already present at supporters' gatherings organised as part of last summer's US Tour by the senior team.
The new club also wants to do something to help people in need in its community, and has already signed an agreement with the Candlelighters-Childhood Cancer Foundation, for which it plans to raise funds. Another of its aims is to provide sports equipment to children in the area.
Numbers rising in the United States
FC Barcelona now has 14 official supporters clubs in the United States, showing how healthy its following is in the country. The oldest club in the US is The Los Angeles FC Barcelona Soccer Foundation, founded in 2001. These clubs always make their presence strongly felt whenever Barça travels state-side.
Here's a run-down of all the Barça penyes in the United States:
- The Los Angeles FC Barcelona Soccer Foundation
- Penya Barcelonista de Nueva York
- Penya Barcelonista Miami-Dade
- Penya Barcelonista Washington DC
- Penya Barcelonista San Francisco
- Penya Blaugrana Charlotte
- Penya Blaugrana Houston-Aics
- Penya Barça Dallas
- Penay Blaugrana San Diego
- Penya Blaugrana Los Angeles
- Garden State Penya Blaugrana
- Penya Blaugrana Las Vegas
- Penya Barça Austin
- Penya Blaugrana Fresno