FC Barcelona begins their pre-season training camp in Birmingham, UK, at St George’s Park under new head coach Hansi Flick, preparing for the 2026/27 season.
FC Barcelona has arrived in Birmingham for a pre-season training camp, marking the second phase of their preparations for the upcoming 2026/27 season. The team, under German head coach Hansi Flick, flew to the United Kingdom on Monday and will remain in the area until August 3. Their base for training is St George’s Park in Burton upon Trent, a facility also used by the England national team, located near both Derby and Birmingham.
The squad of 30 players, selected by Flick, landed at East Midlands Airport. They are scheduled to hold their first training session this afternoon at 6:30 PM local time. On Tuesday, the team is set to complete a double training session as they intensify their preparations.
Squad Details and Player Movements
The travelling squad includes notable players such as captain Marc-André ter Stegen and Dutch midfielder Frenkie de Jong. Ter Stegen‘s inclusion comes amidst reports of a potential loan deal to Ajax Amsterdam, with discussions reportedly ongoing regarding tax issues related to his salary. Despite these ongoing talks, he has joined the camp. De Jong also made the trip, even though he is managing a knee injury.
New signing Karim Adeyemi, who was acquired last week, has joined the squad after his initial training session with Barcelona on Friday morning. Brazilian player Raphinha is anticipated to link up with the team next Wednesday. The squad also features young talents, including Egyptian player Hamza Abdelkarim, who began pre-season training with the first team and is expected to continue under Flick’s guidance.
Several World Cup stars are absent from the camp and are not expected to join until mid-August. This group includes Spain players who were crowned world champions: Joan García, Cubarsí, Eric García, Gavi, Pedri, Olmo, Ferran Torres, and Lamine Yamal. Additionally, semi-finalists Jules Koundé of France and Anthony Gordon of England are also absent, having been granted rest until mid-August, approximately 10 days before the start of official competitions. Other players who participated in the global tournament will commence their preparations after their rest periods conclude.
Upcoming Friendlies
During their stay in England, Barcelona is scheduled to play two friendly matches. The first friendly will be against Championship side Birmingham City on Friday, with kick-off scheduled for 8:45 PM CEST. This match will be broadcast live on Barça Play.
A second friendly fixture is planned for Monday, August 3, against English First Division side Preston North End. Following this match, the team will return to Barcelona. These matches are part of the intensive pre-season schedule, which began with two weeks of training at the Joan Gamper Sports City, culminating in a 4-1 victory over CE Europa in a friendly match last week.
The full squad travelling to England consists of: Ter Stegen, Szczęsny, Jandro Orellana, Iñaki Peña, Araújo, Héctor Fort, Balde, Cortés, Xavi Espart, Christensen, Gerard Martín, Jofre, Bisker, de Jong, Marc Casadó, Toni, Brian Farinas, Lamine Diarra, Bernal, Fermín, Oriol Guri, Guiu, Adeyemi, Hamza Abdelkarim, Óscar Gistau, Alejandro Fernández, Roony, Ilia Toncara, Álex González, and Shane Kluivert. The training camp aims to prepare the team for a new season with ambitions to reclaim domestic and continental titles.
Source: fcbarcelona.com
