Barcelona Pull Out Of Libya Friendly Over Security Fears

Barcelona have withdrawn from a proposed mid-season friendly in Libya, citing security concerns amid the country’s ongoing instability, according to Spanish media outlet, Mundo Deportivo.

The Catalan giants had reached an agreement with Libya’s Minister of Investment and a member of the country’s House of Representatives to face Inter Milan in Benghazi on October 10.

The one-off fixture was reportedly worth €5 million, a sum Barcelona had already received.

However, with conflict intensifying in parts of Libya, the club decided it was unsafe to proceed and have since returned the payment in full.

Barcelona’s decision marks a rare retreat in their push to generate revenue through global friendlies, an approach they’ve used in recent years to ease financial strain.

The team previously played lucrative off-season matches in Sydney (2022) and Kobe (2023), as well as a mid-season clash in Saudi Arabia against Boca Juniors during the 2021/22 campaign.

While the move protects players and staff, it also represents a financial setback for a club still working to stabilize its books under President Joan Laporta.

In their place, Atletico Madrid will now meet Inter Milan during the upcoming international break.