FC Barcelona is set to continue its 2025-26 pre-season preparations with a friendly match against K League 1 side FC Seoul. The game will take place on Thursday, July 31, 2025, at the Seoul World Cup Stadium in South Korea, marking the second fixture of the Catalan club’s Asian tour.
Hansi Flick’s squad arrives in Seoul following a successful start to their pre-season, having secured a 3-1 victory over Japanese club Vissel Kobe. That match saw new signing Marcus Rashford make his debut for the La Liga champions. The tour serves as a crucial period for the team to build match fitness and for Flick, now in his second season as manager, to assess his squad ahead of their title defense.
For the upcoming clash, Flick is expected to rotate his lineup heavily to give minutes to a wide range of players. Stars such as Robert Lewandowski, Frenkie de Jong, Raphinha, and Jules Koundé, who came on as substitutes against Vissel Kobe, could see starting roles. Rashford is also anticipated to receive more extensive playing time as he integrates with the team. The match will also be another opportunity for promising young talents from the club’s La Masia academy to impress. However, Barcelona will be without first-choice goalkeeper Marc-André ter Stegen, who is recovering from successful back surgery, and defender Eric García may be rested due to a minor muscular issue, according to a report from Sports Illustrated.
Their opponents, FC Seoul, are currently in the middle of their domestic season. The South Korean club sits fourth in the K League 1 standings and will present a competitive challenge. Their squad features former Manchester United and England international Jesse Lingard, who has been a key player this season with seven goals and three assists. Other notable players for FC Seoul include the Brazilian wingers Anderson Oliveira and Lucas Rodrigues.
According to Sportstar, Barcelona’s starting lineup is expected to feature a strong contingent, including Lewandowski, Pedri, and Lamine Yamal. FC Seoul’s lineup will likely be led by Lingard, with Hyeon-Mu Kang in goal.
The match is scheduled to kick off at 7 a.m. ET (4 a.m. PT / 12 p.m. BST / 1 p.m. CEST). In a move to accommodate fans globally, Barcelona announced that the friendly will be streamed for free on the club’s official YouTube channel for most regions, excluding South Korea. This decision comes after the club experienced technical difficulties with its pay-per-view broadcast for the Vissel Kobe match. Viewers in North and South America can also watch the game on DAZN.
Following the match against FC Seoul, Barcelona will conclude their Asian tour with a game against Daegu FC on Monday, August 4. They will then return to Spain to host Italian side Como 1907 for the traditional Joan Gamper Trophy on August 10. The club’s 2025-26 La Liga campaign officially begins on August 16 with an away match against Mallorca.
