Barca cancel Japan pre-season friendly citing contractual breaches

Barcelona has cancelled its pre-season friendly match against Vissel Kobe in Japan, scheduled for Sunday, citing serious contractual breaches by the promoter. The club announced this decision in a statement on Wednesday.

Furthermore, Barcelona stated that its two upcoming pre-season friendlies in South Korea, against FC Seoul on July 31 and Daegu FC on August 4, are also at risk of suspension. The club indicated it would consider readjusting this leg of the summer tour only if the promoter meets certain conditions. If conditions are met, Barcelona will travel to South Korea in the coming days. The club expressed regret for the impact on fans in Japan.

Vissel Kobe issued a statement on Thursday apologizing to fans and related parties who were looking forward to the match. The J1 League club stated it is gathering information and taking appropriate measures in collaboration with relevant parties.

Although Barcelona did not name the promoter in its cancellation statement, the tour was originally announced with the promoter identified as the YASUDA Group. Reuters has contacted YASUDA for comment.

Regarding the South Korea matches, the promoter D-DRIVE stated on Thursday that it remains fully committed to making the rest of the tour a success. D-DRIVE CEO Seul Ham assured Korean fans that the company would do its utmost to deliver unforgettable matches.