Catalonia-Palestine football match at risk over venue dispute
Note: AI technology was used to generate this article’s audio.
- Organizers accuse Barcelona City Council of trying to move the Catalonia-Palestine match from the Olympic Stadium.
- Activists launch ticket presale to prove public demand for the historic game in Barcelona.
The friendly football match between Catalonia and Palestine, scheduled for Nov. 18 in Barcelona, is facing uncertainty as organizers accuse the city council of obstructing the event.
ACT x PALESTINE, the group behind the initiative, said the council has yet to open ticket sales or confirm the use of the Olympic Stadium, suggesting plans to move the match to a smaller venue outside the city.
Read more: Palestine set for friendly football match against Catalonia
The organizers called the move “premeditated,” warning it could derail a historic match aimed at showing solidarity with the Palestinian people. They launched a presale campaign to pressure officials to keep the game at the 60,000-seat Lluís Companys Stadium.
By contrast, a similar match between Palestine and Euskadi in Bilbao sold 35,000 tickets in a single day.
The Barcelona City Council says it supports the match but insists the final decision lies with the Catalan Football Federation, which has raised concerns over the €600,000 cost of hosting the event at Montjuïc.
