Barça Academy Columbus is a reality in Ohio and it’s about to become official.

Barça Academy Columbus’ preseason started Aug. 1 and the players have been working hard during this time. But the wait is over, and on Friday they will officially be inducted into the FC Barcelona family.

The Inaugural Ceremony of Barça Academy Columbus will be attended by Director of all Barça Academies, Carles Martin, and the Barça Academy Project Manager America and the Middle East, Fredi Martin. The two will fly to Columbus to inaugurate the biggest of their academies in the United States. The ceremony will take place at Liberty Park at 6 p.m.

“It is a great honor to welcome leaders from FC Barcelona, one of the best clubs in the world, to our opening ceremonies.” said the Local Project Director, Miquel Gasparin. “We are extremely excited to deliver the Barça Academy experience to our Columbus players and families throughout the season and for years to come.”

Media from Barcelona will be in Columbus to cover the exciting event which celebrates the addition of Barça Academy Columbus as one of the 40-plus official Barça Academies across the globe. Following the ceremony, the action will continue as the Barça players take the field to compete for the Barça Academy Columbus Cup.

Columbus is a city that is very rich in soccer, and Barça Academy’s landing after a rebranding of a local club has a clear goal to deliver the best player development experience in the region. Embracing the FC Barcelona methodology and values the club represents, players will improve their soccer skills and knowledge of the game and at the same time become better people. Participation also includes access to amazing cultural and soccer experiences as a result of being part of FC Barcelona’s official global network of academies.

All are invited to join in for the beginning of the FC Barcelona’s journey in Columbus and to experience a historic moment that will mark the future of soccer in Columbus and in the United States.

For more information please contact columbus@fcbarcelona and follow the social media accounts @barcaacademyclb for the latest news and updates throughout the season.