After a 62-day hiatus, FC Barcelona is set to return to the pitch for their first preseason friendly of the 2025/26 season. The La Liga champions will face Japanese side Vissel Kobe on Sunday, July 27, 2025, at the Noevir Stadium Kobe, marking the commencement of their highly anticipated Asian Tour. This fixture is a crucial step for Hansi Flick’s squad as they aim to build fitness and integrate new talent ahead of the demanding season.
The match is scheduled for a 7:00 PM local time (Japan) kick-off, which translates to 12:00 PM CEST, 11:00 AM BST, 6:00 AM ET, and 3:00 AM PT. Fans eager to catch the action can do so through various platforms. FC Barcelona’s official website and official application will stream the game live via their Culers Premium subscription service, priced at €39.99 per year. Additionally, the match will be available on the club’s YouTube Membership channel. In the United States, supporters can tune in via Paramount+ and CBS Sports Golazo, while DAZN will offer a free stream internationally.
For Barcelona, this friendly serves primarily as a fitness-building exercise rather than a pursuit of results. The team, which celebrated a domestic treble in the 2024/25 season, has been back in training for two weeks under Hansi Flick, who enters his second season at the helm. The match will provide the first opportunity for new signings Joan Garcia, Roony Bardghji, and Marcus Rashford to potentially make their debuts. While doubts persist regarding Rashford’s registration for the upcoming La Liga season, the English forward is expected to feature during the preseason tour. Established stars such as Pedri, Lamine Yamal, Dani Olmo, Robert Lewandowski, and Raphinha are also expected to see action, alongside promising young talents from Barça Atlètic, including Diego Kochen, Jofre Torrents, Dro, Toni Fernández, and Guille Fernández. Midfielder Marc Bernal, however, will not play as he continues his recovery from a long-term injury, and first-choice goalkeeper Marc-André ter Stegen is also absent due to injury. Oriol Romeu is reportedly working towards an exit from the club.
Vissel Kobe, currently leading the J1 League after 24 games, will present a formidable challenge. Unlike Barcelona, they are in mid-season form, which could give them a slight advantage in terms of match sharpness. Key players for the Japanese side include Taisei Miyashiro, their leading scorer with nine league goals, and Brazilian forward Erik. This encounter marks the third friendly meeting between the two clubs since 2019, with Barcelona having won both previous matches by a score of 2-0. The fixture also carries a special significance due to Andrés Iniesta’s five-year tenure at Vissel Kobe after his departure from Barcelona in 2018.
Adding to the excitement, the match will see the debut of Barcelona’s new 2025/26 kit, which was unveiled over a month ago. The game itself was briefly in doubt earlier in the week due to a payment dispute with promoters, but these issues were swiftly resolved, ensuring the match proceeds as planned.
Following their clash with Vissel Kobe, Barcelona’s Asian Tour will continue with two more friendlies in South Korea against FC Seoul and Daegu. Upon their return to Spain, they will host Cesc Fàbregas’ Como 1907 in the Joan Gamper Trophy before kicking off their La Liga campaign against Mallorca on August 16. Vissel Kobe, meanwhile, will have a short break before facing Toyo University in the Emperor’s Cup on August 6, followed by a J1 League fixture against Machida Zelvia on August 10. Sports Illustrated predicts a 2-1 victory for Barcelona, acknowledging Vissel Kobe’s current form but banking on Barcelona’s superior quality.
