All set for 13th Barça Academy World Cup
As is tradition at this time of year, the Ciutat Esportiva Joan Gamper is ready to welcome more than 2,100 boys and girls who, over four days, will look to emulate their sporting heroes and enjoy a unique football experience alongside participants from all over the world.
On Monday 30 March, from 11am CET, the opening ceremony for this year’s edition will take place at the Estadi Johan Cruyff in the presence of Rafa Yuste and this year’s ambassador, Cata Coll.
This year’s edition will feature more than 2,100 participants representing 42 different projects from the club’s Barça Academy and Barça Camps around the world, with a total of 29 countries represented.
A total of 192 teams will play 690 matches across seven categories: U8, U10, U12, U14, U12 girls and U14 girls. In addition, there will also be an 11-a-side competition in the U16 category.
Top ambassadors
As in recent years, matches will be played across three venues in order to accommodate the full competition schedule over the four days. Alongside the Ciutat Esportiva, games will also take place at the municipal football ground in Sant Joan Despí and at Col·legi Sant Ignasi.
This year, the ambassadors will be Joan Garcia and Cata Coll, goalkeepers for the men’s and women’s teams respectively, taking over from Marc Casadó, Pau Víctor and Vicky López, who fulfilled the role last year.
New this year
Club partners will be present at the Ciutat Esportiva throughout the event. Bimbo will host a shooting challenge where winners can earn prizes across the four days, while Konami will set up stations featuring football video games for participants to enjoy.
As every year, there will also be a fan zone, live entertainment between matches, and a wide selection of food trucks offering local cuisine for visitors from around the world.
Recognition for BA Carolinas
During Monday’s ceremony, special recognition will be given to Barça Academy Carolinas, which celebrates its 10th anniversary this year. This continues the club’s tradition of honouring academies that have been part of the Barça Academy project for a decade.