The city of joy, Kolkata, is set to host an exhibition match between legends of Spanish football giants Barcelona and Real Madrid on November 25, 2026, West Bengal Sports Minister Indranil Khan announced on Tuesday.
The match will be played at the Vivekananda Yuva Bharati Krirangan, also known as the Salt Lake Stadium, with former stars of the two fierce rivals expected to feature in the contest.
Member of the West Bengal Legislative Assembly Indranil Khan announced the fixture through a post on his official X handle, writing: “El Clásico Loading.. #Barcelona Legends vs #RealMadrid Legends.. November 25, 2026, Vivekananda Yuva Bharati Krirangan, #Kolkata.”
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El Clásico Loading.. #Barcelona Legends vs #RealMadrid Legends.. November 25, 2026 Vivekananda Yuva Bharati Krirangan, #Kolkata https://t.co/otLcLJUM28
— Dr.Indranil Khan (@IndranilKhan) October 13, 2026
The announcement has added another high-profile football event to Kolkata's sporting calendar, with the city set to host a contest featuring players associated with two of the most celebrated clubs in world football.
Kolkata Hosted Brazil And Uruguay Earlier This Month
The announcement comes after Salt Lake Stadium hosted two international friendlies involving the Indian men's football team earlier in October.
India faced five-time world champions Brazil on October 3 before taking on two-time world champions Uruguay on October 6. However, India suffered heavy defeats in both matches.
Brazil, led by Marquinhos, defeated India 4-0, while Uruguay secured a 6-1 victory in the second fixture.
Anirudh Thapa scored India's only goal against Uruguay to bring the score level at 1-1. However, the South American side subsequently took control of the match, scoring five more goals to seal a comfortable win.
Despite the results, the two fixtures brought international attention to Kolkata's footballing heritage and its reputation as one of India's prominent football centres.
Barcelona And Real Madrid Rivalry Comes To Kolkata
The proposed exhibition match will bring the rivalry between Barcelona and Real Madrid to Indian shores, although the fixture will feature legends rather than the clubs' current first teams.
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Known as El Clásico, the rivalry between the Spanish giants is among the biggest in world football, having featured generations of celebrated players and numerous memorable encounters.
The November 25 fixture is expected to give Indian football fans an opportunity to watch former stars associated with the two clubs in action at one of the country's best-known football venues.
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