Barcelona, 20 August (Brussles Morning Newspaper) Barcelona vs Al Ahly brought two of world football’s biggest names together at Spotify Camp Nou on Wednesday night, with supporters around the globe able to follow the Joan Gamper Trophy through Barcelona’s official streaming platforms. The match kicked off at 8pm CEST on 19 August and ended in a 2-1 victory for the hosts.
For fans who missed the build-up or wanted to know where the match was officially available, Barcelona offered coverage through Barça Play and its YouTube subscription service.
Where to watch Barcelona vs Al Ahly
FC Barcelona made the Gamper Festival available worldwide through its own channels, with Egypt excluded from the club’s worldwide streaming arrangement because of separate broadcast rights there.
Barça Play carried the action for FC Barcelona members and Culers Premium subscribers. Viewers could choose commentary in English, Spanish or Catalan.
The club also streamed the event on its official YouTube channel in English for supporters subscribed to its Pack Premium service. Coverage began at 7pm CEST, an hour before the match itself.
That meant the YouTube broadcast was not a standard free stream. Fans needed the appropriate subscription to watch through the club’s channel.
What time did Barcelona vs Al Ahly kick off?
The match began at 8pm CEST on Wednesday, 19 August, at Spotify Camp Nou.
For viewers in the UK, that was 7pm BST.
The fixture was particularly notable because it was the first Joan Gamper Trophy staged at Spotify Camp Nou since the stadium reopened. Barcelona had confirmed Al Ahly as their opponents in July.
The Gamper is traditionally more than a pre-season friendly. Barcelona use the occasion to welcome supporters ahead of the new campaign and formally present the first-team squad.
Barcelona beat Al Ahly at Camp Nou
Anyone checking the Barcelona vs Al Ahly viewing information after the match should note that the fixture has now finished.
Barcelona won 2-1, with Hamza Abdelkarim opening the scoring in the 29th minute before Raphinha converted a penalty shortly before half-time. Zizo pulled a goal back for Al Ahly in the second half, but Barcelona held on to lift the trophy.
The night also gave Hansi Flick the opportunity to use his squad before Barcelona returned to competitive action.
Why Al Ahly was a major Gamper opponent
Al Ahly’s involvement gave this year’s event considerable international appeal.
The Cairo club are one of the dominant names in African football and arrived in Barcelona for a rare meeting with the Catalan giants. Barcelona’s announcement of the fixture had also highlighted its significance as the first Gamper at the reopened Camp Nou.
For Barcelona, the evening completed a pre-season programme that included preparations in England, matches in Italy and a friendly against Basel before the squad returned home.
What happens next for Barcelona?
The Barcelona vs Al Ahly match was Barcelona’s final warm-up before returning to La Liga.
Barcelona’s next confirmed fixture is away to Elche on Sunday, 23 August. The club then returns to Spotify Camp Nou to face Athletic Club on Thursday, 27 August.
With the Gamper now complete, attention turns from pre-season preparations to Barcelona’s competitive campaign.
