Barcelona plans first Asian residency academy in Nara
FC Barcelona is considering opening a Barca Residency Academy in Kawanishi, Nara Prefecture, with the facility expected to begin operating in fiscal 2032. Nara governor Makoto Yamashita said on 2 September that the prefecture had received an “expression of intent” from Barcelona, putting the project before the signing of a final agreement. If completed, it would become the first Barca Residency Academy in Asia and the third worldwide. The proposed institution would house student-athletes aged 16 to 18 year-round, providing technical training from coaches sent by Barcelona. A Japanese football-industry company is acting as an intermediary during negotiations.
The project would add a major international development centre to Japan’s football landscape and could create closer links with clubs in the J.League’s Kansai region. Nara said it had promoted the academy since December 2024, highlighting its ability to provide land and the presence of established professional clubs nearby. Yamashita travelled to Barcelona in February 2025 to pitch the plan personally. The proposed site is owned by the prefecture, while discussions over the project’s terms are continuing between Barcelona and the Japanese intermediary. The academy therefore remains a planned development rather than a completed agreement, with its projected opening still several years away.