World-Class FC Barcelona Holds Three Days of Official Training at Paju NFC

Paju City Expects FC Barcelona's Visit
to Boost Paju Citizen Football Club's K League 2 Promotion Challenge

Paju City announced on August 5 that FC Barcelona, the world-renowned football club, held official training sessions at the Paju National Football Center (NFC).

The world-renowned football club FC Barcelona is taking an official training session at Paju Football National Training Center (NFC) and is taking a commemorative photo with Kim Kyungil, the mayor of Paju. Photo by Paju City

This training took place as FC Barcelona, which arrived in South Korea on July 31 for its Asian tour of friendly matches, prepared for its final Asian tour match against Daegu FC, a K League 1 team. The training drew intense attention from football fans worldwide and continued for three consecutive days.

Paju Mayor Kim Kyungil personally visited the site to welcome the world-class football club and encourage the players. Coach Hansi Flick expressed his gratitude for the facilities provided by Paju City and the city's warm hospitality, and he was especially satisfied with the condition of the pitch and the overall training environment at the NFC stadium.

The Paju National Football Center (NFC) served as the exclusive training ground for the South Korean national football team for over 20 years until January this year. The city believes that FC Barcelona's visit will widely demonstrate that Paju possesses internationally certified football infrastructure.

News of FC Barcelona's training in Paju has heightened local interest in the Paju Citizen Football Club's efforts to join K League 2.

The Paju Citizen Football Club submitted an application to the Korea Professional Football League to join K League 2 at the end of June and is currently proceeding with the necessary steps, aiming to enter the professional league in the 2026 season.

If the Paju Citizen Football Club, which won the K4 League in 2020 and advanced to the K3 League, succeeds in joining K League 2, it will become the first club in Korea to achieve promotion from the fifth to the second division entirely on its own merit.

Citizens who heard about FC Barcelona's training in Paju are offering even greater support for the Paju Citizen Football Club's challenge. Banners reading "Support for Paju Citizen Football Club's K League 2 Promotion" have been put up throughout the city, and support activities are quickly spreading through local communities, creating a positive and enthusiastic atmosphere. The city expects that this passionate support from citizens will serve as a strong driving force for the future of professional football in Paju.

Alongside its push for K League 2 promotion, Paju City is also working on mid- to long-term foundations such as expanding the strategic use of the Paju National Football Center (NFC), establishing a youth academy, and creating a dedicated clubhouse. The city is also pursuing self-sustaining revenue models and strategies to attract corporate sponsorships to help professional clubs become established.

Mayor Kim Kyungil stated, "The fact that a world-class football club chose Paju NFC is a symbolic scene that demonstrates Paju's sports infrastructure is already at an international level," adding, "Now is the time for our citizen-based football club to make the leap to professionalism and for Paju to become a true sports city."

Riding the wave of international attention brought by FC Barcelona's training, Paju City plans to further promote citizen understanding and participation in the establishment and operation of a professional football club, and to strengthen policy efforts to create youth jobs and foster a vibrant sports culture ecosystem in the region.