Barcelona has cancelled their upcoming pre-season friendly against Vissel Kobe in Japan due to what they describe as serious contractual breaches by the event promoter. The match was originally set for this Sunday.
The club also stated that their scheduled fixtures in South Korea — against FC Seoul on July 31 and Daegu FC on August 4 — may also be suspended unless certain conditions are met by the Korean promoter. Barcelona noted they are open to readjusting the South Korea leg of their summer tour if those conditions are fulfilled.
Vissel Kobe issued an apology to fans on Thursday, expressing regret for the cancellation and stating that they are working with relevant parties to assess the situation.
Barcelona did not name the promoter involved in the Japan match cancellation in their statement, but initial announcements had identified them as the YASUDA Group. Reuters has reached out to YASUDA for comment.
Meanwhile, the South Korean promoter, D-DRIVE, reaffirmed its commitment to ensuring the rest of the tour proceeds smoothly, with CEO Seul Ham pledging to deliver memorable matches for Korean fans.
