On Monday, the FC Barcelona board approved the creation of a new FCBEscola in Moscow and the organisation of new Soccer Camps in Sochi. The plans for the two Russian cities form part of the growth strategy to implant new FCBEscola schools around the world.

Passion for football

This project means that the Club now has 22 such schools around the world, following on from theFCBEscola Lagos (Nigeria) and FCBEscola Charlotte (United States) projects that were passed at the last meeting of the board on April 14.

"As well as Russia having a huge potential market, the fact that it is hosting the FIFA World Cup in 2018 is awakening a special passion for the game in the country, so this is the ideal time to be there”, says Iñaki Andreu, the FCBEscola director of projects in Europe and Africa.

The Moscow school is scheduled to start operating in September with 200 boys and girls. "Our aim is to implant the Barça methodology in the best possible way and thus ensure that the Russian project is developed at the highest quality, both in keeping with our own standards and the demands of a market like the Russian one” continues Andreu.

Last summer in Russia

The relationship between FCBEscola and Russia started last summer when a camp was held in Sochi between 12 June and 19 August 2015 for boys and girls aged 6 to 13, regardless of footballing ability. The camp was a huge success, with high quality standards and very well received both by the participants and the local media.

In autumn and winter, talks have been held and a project has been put together for Moscow and Sochi, which has been approved today by the Board of Directors. "Ever since the start, we have seen how much interest there is in Barça in Moscow and that there is a lot of potential for growth” concludes Iñaki Andreu.