Barcelona are looking to create a women's team in the United States as part of the club's plans to boost their profile in the country.
The Blaugrana opened an office in New York on Tuesday, and the next phase of their move to the States is to partner with new sponsors and start projects which will help them grow in the American market.
One of those projects, club president Josep Maria Bartomeu confirmed to Barca TV, is to launch a franchised side to compete nationally.
"The idea is to create a team that can take part in the National Women's Soccer League that will help us to promote the club," he said.
Under previous president Joan Laporta in 2008, Barca had been close to becoming involved in Major League Soccer, before the idea of an expansion team in Miami eventually fell through.
Since then, though, fellow La Liga side Rayo Vallecano paired up with businessman Sean Jones in 2015 to form Rayo Oklahoma City, who currently play in the North American Soccer League.
Elsewhere, Manchester City and the New York Yankees joined together for the foundation of MLS side New York City FC in 2013.
In addition to a women's team, Barca also hope to launch a futsal side to compete in the local leagues in New York.
They're also keen, a statement explained, "to establish a broad network of FCB Escola soccer schools to help to project the club's name around the territory."
The statement continues: "These centres will play a key role in expanding the club in the country, whereby the growth plan is mainly based on the search for sponsors and our FCB Escola schools."
Barca currently have one FCBEscola in Florida with another one soon to open in Charlotte. Bartomeu says all the club's projects in America "will help us to get even closer to our fans."
