Mumbai: Fourteen years after it opened for business, the world-famous football team FC Barcelona has made the decision to close all of its academies in India, where it had intended to teach children in the renowned “La Masia (youth academy)” method.
FC Barcelona did not provide a formal explanation for the shutdown. Beginning on July 1, all of its academies in the Indian cities of Delhi NCR, Mumbai, Bengaluru, and Pune will close.
The club sent a statement on its website stating, “FC Barcelona has informed the families involved in Delhi, Mumbai, Bangalore, and Pune that they will cease to operate as Barca Academies from July 1, 2024.”
Since Barcelona first arrived in India in 2010, hundreds of young people have been taught the game’s principles and played football in the Barca way.
The club said, “In addition, India hosted two Barca Academy APAC tournaments in 2019 and 2020, and the academies have always been present in the 11 Barca Academy World Cups held in Barcelona during Easter Week.”
It had established many football training facilities as part of the project, and it organized leagues, tournaments, camps, programs, and exposure tours in Delhi, Gurugram, Noida, Mumbai, Bengaluru, and Pune.
The major goal of FC Barcelona’s flagship school, Barca Academy, is to provide its pupils with a thorough training environment. The school serves boys and girls ages 4 to 17.
