Every August, FC Barcelona open their season not with a competitive fixture but with a tradition stretching back six decades: the Joan Gamper Trophy.

Part friendly, part trophy, part squad presentation, it has become one of the most recognisable curtain-raisers in world football. Whilst nearly all clubs engage in typical friendly matches, this is an occasion that goes beyond that.

Here’s the full story behind the fixture, plus a complete rundown of its winners.

What is the Joan Gamper Trophy?

The Joan Gamper Trophy (Trofeu Joan Gamper in Catalan) is an annual pre-season exhibition match hosted by Barcelona, traditionally staged at the Camp Nou in August, immediately before the club’s La Liga campaign begins.

It doubles as the official presentation of the new-look squad to supporters, making it as much a ceremonial occasion as a football match. The competition is named after Joan Gamper, the Swiss-born founding father of Barcelona.

Gamper established the club in 1899 and later served as its president across several spells, helping to shape the institution in its formative years. The trophy honouring him was inaugurated in 1966 by then-president Enric Llaudet, one of Gamper’s successors.

In its original format, the tournament featured four invited teams contesting two semi-finals, a third-place play-off and a final. Since 1997, however, it has been streamlined into a single one-off match against one invited opponent, a change prompted by increasingly congested fixture calendars and shorter close seasons.

If the game is level after 90 minutes, no extra time is played — the winner is settled directly by a penalty shootout. The trophy itself is a distinctive prize: an 800-gram silver cup finished with a fine layer of gold, mounted on a heavy marble plinth.

List of Joan Gamper Trophy Winners

REUTERS/Bruna Casas

Barcelona have utterly dominated their own tournament. Perhaps unsurprisingly so, given home advantage and the quality of their average squad on show. The Blaugrana have lifted the trophy on the overwhelming majority of occasions, and only a handful of visiting sides have ever spoiled the party.

The very first edition in 1966 saw Barcelona beat West Germany’s 1. FC Köln 3–1 in the final. Köln would go on to become the only non-Barcelona side to win the competition more than once, triumphing in 1978 and 1981.

Brazil’s Internacional hold the distinction of being the only team from outside Europe to win it, in 1982. Over the years, the guest list has read like a roll call of European and world football: Bayern Munich, Boca Juniors, Juventus, Manchester City and Porto have all featured, with several claiming one-off victories.

Spanish rivals have occasionally gatecrashed too, with Tenerife (1993) and Valencia (1994) both beating the hosts on their own turf.

The modern single-match era has produced its share of memorable nights. After moving into the single-match era, Barça have dominated, losing just four times, with one of those defeats coming on penalties to Juventus in 2005.

Barcelona thrashed Santos 8–0 in 2013 with Neymar and Lionel Messi in tandem, while Messi himself became the tournament’s most decorated individual, winning the MVP award four times and scoring in six consecutive editions. More recently, the fixture delivered a shock in 2024 when Monaco won 3–0, ending an 11-year unbeaten run for the hosts, before Barcelona bounced back to hammer Como 5–0 in 2025.

For 2026, the 61st edition breaks new ground: Egyptian giants Al Ahly will become the first African club ever invited, with the match scheduled for August 19 at the newly reopened Spotify Camp Nou — the trophy’s return to Barca’s spiritual home after stints at smaller venues during stadium renovations.

Single-Match Era (1997–present) — one game, penalties if drawn

Whoever the guest, the Gamper remains Barcelona’s defining pre-season occasion — a night of silverware, celebration and a first glimpse of the season ahead.

This weekend, we will finally have our next Formula 1 Grand Prix.

A 27-day hiatus for the summer break has left fans longing to see their favourite drivers back on the grid, and this event has fireworks written all over it.

As the grid descends on Zandvoort for the Dutch Grand Prix, it is Max Verstappen who is making waves and headlines. The four-time world champion has just signed a new contract with Red Bull, keeping the Dutchman for another two years as his contract extends from 2028 to 2030.

REUTERS/Marton Monus

In what is set to be the final Dutch Grand Prix at the circuit, the stakes are even higher for Verstappen as he looks to not only prove that he and Red Bull are a force to be reckoned with, but also win for the last time on home soil.

The home favourite will be desperate to deliver, but will face strong competition from the likes of Lando Norris, Kimi Antonelli, and the Ferrari boys.

This weekend will also come with an unexpected twist, with Liam Lawson set to drive alongside Verstappen as he replaces Isack Hadjar, who was ruled out with a wrist injury.

With the championship battle reaching a crucial stage, we have asked the Supercomputer to predict how Sunday’s race will unfold. Let’s see what the Dutch Grand Prix has in store for us.

10

Arvid Lindblad

Racing Bulls

Arvid Lindblad could cap off an extraordinary rise through the ranks, with the Supercomputer predicting the teenage sensation to cross the finish line in 10th position.

The Racing Bulls driver has shown himself to be a force to be reckoned with on the grid, with the 19-year-old already picking up 23 points across this year’s championship.

With Yuki Tsunoda returning to the team after Liam Lawson’s promotion, Lindblad will have a different dynamic alongside him this weekend, and it will be key to see if the young Brit will be able to deal with a change of teammate.

A top-10 finish would represent another encouraging result as he looks to become an F1 mainstay.

9

Liam Lawson

Red Bull

Liam Lawson’s unexpected return to the senior Red Bull team has given the New Zealander a chance to show why he deserves a spot driving next to Verstappen.

Lawson sits 25 points behind the incumbent Hadjar, but has a key chance to see him move up the rankings this weekend. While it is near impossible for him to draw level with his senior teammate – the 24-year-old would have to place first in the Grand Prix – this will be a key race for him to make up some of the ground that is currently between the two drivers.

Finish in the top 10, and there may be a conversation about whether he is ready for another first-team slot.

8

Pierre Gasly

Alpine

Sitting just one point off Lawson in the overall standings, an eighth-placed finish would see him leap over the New Zealander and into eighth in the standings.

The Alpine driver has established himself as one of the more dependable performers outside the sport’s leading teams and will be hoping to convert that consistency into another points-paying finish.

If the Frenchman is able to prove the Supercomputer wrong and finish in a position even higher than expected, talks of a move to a championship-contending side could start to muster.

7

Lewis Hamilton

Ferrari

It has been a strong first half of the season for the seven-time world champion, but the Supercomputer is predicting his worst race yet, with Hamilton expected to finish just seventh in the standings.

The British driver has had his strongest start to the F1 calendar in a number of years, finishing on the podium on five occasions and winning the Barcelona Grand Prix.

He still sits 50 points off top-placed Kimi Antonelli, and a seventh-placed finish would all but end any real chance of a title charge.

6

Charles Leclerc

Ferrari

Hamilton’s teammate, however, is expected to do one better than the Brit and finish just outside the top five standings.

The Monegasque driver has shown his prowess across races this year – in particular the Silverstone circuit in the United Kingdom as he pipped British drivers Hamilton and George Russell to a first-placed finish – yet consistency has remained elusive.

Zandvoort presents another stern test, with the tight and twisting circuit demanding precision from both driver and machine. A fifth-placed finish would be seen as an okay result, but Ferrari have set their sights a lot higher.

5

George Russell

Mercedes

Philippe Nanchino via Reuters

Sitting just inside the top five is Britain’s own George Russell.

The 28-year-old had a fantastic start to the season, winning the opener in Australia before following it up with a second-placed finish in China.

Since then, however, teammate Antonelli has proved to be the finer driver of the two and has pulled away in the rankings, leaving Russell down in third place.

With rumours swirling over a possible exit for the Mercedes team, a fifth-placed finish may see those rumours spark to life once more.

4

Oscar Piastri

McLaren

After a horrific start to the campaign which saw him with two consecutive do-not-starts, Oscar Piastri has forced his way back into the standings, and currently resides in seventh place.

The nine following stages since his controversial start have been inconsistent, but he has still managed to finish in a podium position on two occasions.

This time, the Supercomputer has predicted him to finish just outside the podium places, but in a very respectable fourth place. 12 points will serve him well, but it is undoubtedly lower than he would like.

3

Kimi Antonelli

Mercedes

Jakub Porzycki via Reuters

Fifty points clear with just 12 Grands Prix to go, Kimi Antonelli just needs to ensure he stays calm and picks up consistent podium places to guarantee he walks away with the 2026 Drivers’ Championship.

If he does indeed find himself lifting the coveted trophy high, he will become just the third Italian to do so, the first since Alberto Ascari won his second in 1953.

Antonelli will, without a doubt, be more than happy with a third-placed finish, especially on Verstappen’s home soil.

2

Lando Norris

McLaren

Credit: REUTERS/Leonhard Foeger

Predicted to just miss out on top spot is the reigning champion Lando Norris.

The 2026 campaign has not held up the expectations that so many believed it would for Norris. After narrowly beating four-time world champion Verstappen by just two points in the overall standings in 2025, Norris’ form has taken a downward spiral as he finds himself sitting fifth in the standings.

A second-placed finish will do the Brit well, as he looks to build upon his first-placed finish in the most recent Grand Prix in Hungary.

1

Max Verstappen

Red Bull

Could it truly be anyone else? In what will be the last Dutch Grand Prix for the foreseeable future, Verstappen has a point to prove in what may be the most unfeigned win of his career.

This campaign has not been one to write home about for the Dutch driver. Just four podium finishes, no overall wins, and he sits 110 points behind Antonelli – more than his current points total.

But there is a chance now for Verstappen to have a defining moment of his career, claiming victory in what will be the last time he will drive in front of home fans.

Former Manchester United captain Roy Keane has already decided who he thinks will win the 2026-27 Premier League Player of the Season award. The new campaign gets underway on Friday night as reigning champions Arsenal host newly-promoted Coventry City at the Emirates Stadium.

Despite the Gunners boasting a world-class team, though, with many – including the supercomputer – believing they are favourites to retain their title, Keane has snubbed all of Mikel Arteta’s squad when naming who he thinks will be the standout player of the new season.

That could be an insight into a baffling prediction that the north Londoners fail to live up to the hype and surrender their grip on English football in an unlikely scenario given the rest of the traditional big six navigate transition periods, or rather a reflection of the fact Arsenal doesn’t rely on one standout player to achieve more silverware.

Either way, Keane’s latest guesswork could cause a bit of a stir – though that should come as no surprise to anyone familiar with a pundit who would much rather criticise unless he sees something particularly special.

Roy Keane’s Prediction For 2026/27 Premier League Player of the Season

REUTERS/Toby Melville

There is still a lot of uncertainty around Man United heading into the campaign. While Michael Carrick has done an incredible job at plastering over the cracks left behind by the likes of Erik ten Hag and Ruben Amorim to guide the Red Devils back into the Champions League with a third-placed finish.

Juggling more than just one match a week could cost the retired midfielder this time around as the honeymoon period gives way to a much more serious leg of his managerial career. One constant, however, will be that of captain Bruno Fernandes and his ability to perform in a team of any level and still be the hero, with Keane tipping him to win Player of the Season once again. Watch his full predictions below:

During the segment with The Overlap podcast, he also says he thinks Arsenal will win the league, Erling Haaland will inevitably win the Golden Boot, Newcastle and Fulham will struggle, and Tottenham will overachieve after a summer of huge spending.

He had to be asked twice about who will earn Player of the Season, but eventually turned to the Red Devils’ captain, though perhaps through gritted teeth, while mentioning that the Portugal international should do well if United can keep their defence in check – a nod towards the fact Fernandes had to track back a lot last term when he’s primarily a forward-thinking player.

Bruno Fernandes Looking To Replicate Record-Breaking 2025/26

via Reuters

Last season, Fernandes smashed the Premier League’s assist record by registering 21, beating Thierry Henry’s previous high of 20. It was his best output campaign, but it came without any trophies to show for it. This time around, with a more settled squad, many believe he could find yet another gear to smash the record again.

Over the last two terms, no other player has come anywhere near competing with his 224 chances created, but now it’s over to the rest of his teammates to get on his level if Carrick’s side are to turn their promising start and turn it into a new golden era. Rome wasn’t built overnight, and there are no doubt still some cracks at Old Trafford.

Bryan Mbeumo and Matheus Cunha will be expected to up the ante in attack, new signings Andrey Santos and Youri Tielemans will be tasked with making sure Fernandes isn’t working overtime in the coal face of the engine room, while the defence must stiffen up.