Liverpool, Barcelona could play pre-season friendly in Nairobi - reports

Liverpool and Barcelona could meet in a pre-season friendly in Nairobi as part of their preparations for the 2026-27 campaign, according to This is Anfield.

The potential clash would add another high-profile fixture to Liverpool’s already busy summer schedule. 

Earlier, the Premier League champions had confirmed a tour of the United States in late July and early August, where they are set to face Sunderland, Wrexham and Leeds United in Nashville, New York and Chicago respectively.

However, according to Barca Universal, Barcelona are also weighing up a trip to Kenya’s capital on August 8 for a glamour match against the Reds. 

The outlet says the Catalan club is currently considering several pre-season options, with a 15-day training camp in England emerging as the most likely choice.

“After considering the various options, the most likely choice is a 15-day training camp in England,” the report said. “This option would allow the team to combine excellent facilities with a demanding competitive environment.”

During that stay, Barcelona are reportedly planning a friendly in Birmingham on July 30, with the possibility of another match in England also under discussion.

Once the camp ends, the club is said to be exploring two further options, travelling to Nairobi to face Liverpool on August 8, or playing a match in Morocco on August 5 against a local team.

The report also notes that Barcelona star Lamine Yamal could miss the match because of the World Cup, while Liverpool’s pre-season plans may be complicated by the tournament, which ends on July 19. 

Liverpool and Barcelona last met in the 2019 UEFA Champions League semi-finals, when the English side produced a famous 4-0 comeback win at Anfield.

Although the Nairobi fixture is not yet confirmed, the prospect of two of Europe’s biggest clubs meeting in Kenya would be a major attraction for football fans across East Africa.

Both Liverpool and Barcelona have huge followings in the region and boast some of the game’s biggest names.