FC Barcelona has decided to face Egyptian club Al-Ahly in a historic friendly match as part of the upcoming annual Joan Gamper Trophy tournament, the Spanish newspaper Mundo Deportivo reported.

The highly anticipated match between Ahly and the Catalan team is scheduled for August 19. This will be Barcelona’s first match at their home stadium, Camp Nou.

Moroccan journalist Ashraf Ben-Ayad, who is close to FC Barcelona, also reported that Ahly will be Barcelona’s opponent in the next edition of the tournament, which is held annually in preparation for the start of the new season.

This encounter comes as part of Barcelona’s desire to strengthen ties with major Arab clubs and capitalize on Al Ahly’s massive fan base in the Middle East.