Popular Spanish football club FC Barcelona has pushed back plans to travel to Doha to compete in a friendly match against an unnamed team in late February.

FC Barcelona game in Doha postponed http://t.co/IQYhRybM9O

— FC Barcelona (@FCBarcelona) January 17, 2014

The game was arranged as part of the sponsorship agreement between Barca and Qatar Sports Investment (QSI), a five-year deal reportedly worth $230 million.

Football Espana quotes the team as saying in a statement:

“The date coincided with the only rest days the first team has before the most intense part of the season, so we felt it was the right thing to do.”

It’s not clear when the match will be rescheduled.

Earlier this month, Qatar-owned Paris Saint Germain and Real Madrid faced off in Doha to a sold-out stadium, ending with the Spanish team on top, 1-0.

Despite organizational issues, the event appeared to demonstrate the nation’s appetite for football, and Qatar’s desire to host high-profile sporting events.

Thoughts?