Mansoor bin Mohammed meets with President of FC Barcelona at DSC headquarters

His Highness Sheikh Mansoor bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Chairman of the Dubai Sports Council (DSC), today met with Joan Laporta, President of FC Barcelona football club.

During the meeting held at DSC headquarters, His Highness underscored the leadership’s commitment to developing the emirate’s sports sector and nurturing talent across various sports disciplines. Dubai’s world-class sports and tourism infrastructure, coupled with a robust regulatory framework, has enabled the emirate to emerge as a global hub for sports development, hosting sporting events and training camps.

His Highness expressed Dubai's keenness to strengthening cooperative ties with partners, football clubs and international sports federations, aligning with the burgeoning growth in Dubai’s sports sector. This is also in line with enhancing the sports sector's contribution to Dubai’s annual GDP and achieving the outlined objectives in the strategic plan for the city’s sports sector.

The meeting, held in the presence of His Excellency Saeed Hareb, Secretary General of Dubai Sports Council, Nasser Aman Al Rahma, Assistant Secretary General of the Council, the Vice President of FC Barcelona, and several accompanying delegation members, explored avenues to enhance relations with FC Barcelona, one of the most renowned football clubs in the world.

The President of FC Barcelona commended the efforts of HH Sheikh Mansoor in establishing Dubai as a premier destination for sports enthusiasts, especially in football. The city's advanced infrastructure and world-class sports facilities have played a pivotal role in consolidating the city’s standing as a global sports hub for successfully hosting and organising international events.

During the meeting, HH Sheikh Mansoor was briefed by the President of FC Barcelona regarding a project to build a new stadium for the club at the current site of Camp Nou Stadium. The proposed stadium is anticipated to be a unique architectural masterpiece. Additionally, Sheikh Mansoor was briefed on the plans for developing the area surrounding the temporary stadium where Barcelona currently holds its matches until the summer of 2026.