Barcelona Academy's TRNC camp removed from website following Greek Cypriot initiatives
Date and location information for the camp planned by the Barcelona Academy in Nicosia has been deleted; ELAM claimed the organization was cancelled.
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Information regarding the football camp that the FC Barcelona Academy planned to organize in the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) has been removed from the club's official website and event map.
The announcement previously featured on Barcelona's website stated that the camp would be held at Near East University on September 7-11 and 16-20, 2026, and the location was shown as "Lefkosa, Northern Cyprus." As of August 27, the date, location, and program information could no longer be viewed on the page in question.
The development occurred following objections from the Greek Cypriot Administration and Greek Cypriot institutions regarding the organization. It had been reported that the Cyprus Football Association had consulted with UEFA and initiated proceedings before the Royal Spanish Football Federation.
At the center of the reactions from the Greek Cypriot side was not only the fact that the camp was to be held in the TRNC, but also that the location information was shared on Barcelona's official page with the phrase "Northern Cyprus."
Following the removal of the camp information, the far-right ELAM party in Southern Cyprus claimed that the organization had been cancelled. In its statement, the party used the phrase "We have reached our goal" and demanded that the same stance be maintained against similar initiatives.
ELAM also recalled its efforts against universities operating in the TRNC appearing on international platforms under the name "Northern Cyprus," and announced that it would continue its work on this issue.