FC Barcelona to launch free streaming platform Barça One

Barça One will start broadcasting in the next few weeks. FC Barcelona described the new platform as a “natural and necessary evolution” of its previous subscription platform Barça TV+ which it says “will ensure that the club stays at the forefront of the entertainment industry.”

The free streaming service will be funded through advertising and will not require registration. However, there will also be the option of paying to watch without advertising, although FC Barcelona members will get this for free.

Barça One will draw on over 1,500 hours of material from the Barça TV archives spanning games, shows, reports and historical content as well as a new selection of programmes including live broadcasts, press conferences and original content.

In a statement, FC Barcelona said the new platform will be an important source of income and a means to promote the club’s name around the world.

“The project democratises the club’s video material by making it available for free around the planet, something unprecedented until now,” said FC Barcelona.

The first original content to launch on Barça One will be Origins | Araujo, a documentary about Barcelona player Ronald Araujo. The 40-minute programme explores the background of the Uruguayan defender, including a visit to his homeland of Rivera, and looks in depth at the player’s family, personal and professional background and the ways they have impacted his career.