FC Barcelona´s official Website disclosed the details of Barca´s Summer preseason tour to the United States and Mexico. FC Barcelona will be travelling on the Summer Tour 2006 in the USA and Mexico.


Barca will be back in the USA after a three-year absence. In 2003, the Barcelona squad made a pre-season tour via Boston, Philadelphia and Washington. The three cities chosen for this year´s tour 2006 Los Angeles, Houston and New York are three of the main football markets in the USA and have a large Hispanic population, who are among the most enthusiastic followers of football in the USA and of course, FC Barcelona.


FC Barcelona will play four matches, one in Mexico and three in the United States. The tour is aimed at expanding the international profile of the Club FC Barcelona.


This year's campaign "On Tour: USA 2006", is designed to expand the Barca brand in the North American market. It will begin on 1st August and end on 13th August. The first game will be played in Mexico on 3rd August. The venues and opposing teams will be anounced shortly.
FC Barcelona will then move on to the USA where they will play three matches in Los Angeles (6th August), Houston (9th August) and New York (12th August). The opponents in the first two matches will be two of the most important teams in the Mexican league while the rival in New York will be the New York Red Bulls - formerly known as New York MetroStars - the representatives of the MLS (Major League Soccer) in that city. The commercial division of the MLS, Soccer United Marketing (SUM), is be responsible for the promotion and expansion of football in the USA.


FC Barcelona president Joan Laporta and MLS Commissioner Don Garber have signed an agreement that, apart from the matches, includes a series of marketing and public relations activities, such as football clinics for children and teenagers.

FC BArcelona´s intention is to expand the Barca brand and with the World Cup 2006 coming up this summer in Germany, this is an excellent time and opportunity to boost Barca's physical presence in the North American market. Together with the Asian market, the US market constitute the most important areas for expansion. According to Joan Laporta: "This is a very opportune moment for the promotion of the FC Barcelona image in this great country. We are sure that the cooperation with Major League Soccer will help the North American public to get to know Barca better and, on the other hand, I am confident that the presence of our team will help to promote football in that country".


For his part, Don Garber, MLS Commissioner, believes: "The presence of FC Barcelona this summer in the United States is one of the most special events in the history of football in our country. I believe it will be an extraordinary event, both for the North Americans and for Barca. We're looking forward to enjoying the spectacle of the best club in the world".