Barcelona ten unha longa tradición deportiva e acolleu os moi exitosos Xogos Olímpicos de Verán de 1992, así como varios partidos durante a Copa Mundial de Fútbol de 1982 (nos dous estadios). Tamén foi sede, entre outros, da final da Liga de Campións Europeos (1989, 1999), da Copa de Gañadores de Copas Europeas (1972, 1982), da Copa UEFA (1988), da Supercopa de Europa (1979, 1982, 1989, 1992, 1997), da Copa Inter-Cities Fairs (1958, 1960, 1962, 1964), Eurobasket (1973, 1997), Euroleague (1969, 1998, 2003, 2011), World Bowl (1997), CERS Cup (2011), 2003 EuroHockey Nations Championship e o 1951, 1954, 1957, 1979 European Roller Hockey Championship, 1955 Xogos Mediterráneos Europeos, 1958 Xogos de Judo, 1964 UEFA Euro (Copa de Europa), 1970 European Water Polo Championship, 1970 European Aquatics Championships, 1971 Men's Hockey World Cup, 1973 UCI Road World Championships, 1976 European Taekwondo Championships, 1980 European Karate Championships, 1984 UCI Cycling Track World Championships, 1984 UCI Road World Championships, 1985 Fencing World Championships.
, 1987 Campionatos Mundiais de Taekwondo, 1987 Campionatos Europeos de Wushu, 1989 IAAF World Race Walking Cup, 1989 IAAF World Cup, 1991 Campionatos Mundiais de Judo, 1991 FINA Men's Water Polo World Cup, 1995 IAAF World Indoor Championships, 1996 UEFA European Under-21 Football Championship, 1996 FIFA Futsal World Championship, 1996 UEFA European Under-21 Football Championship (varios partidos), 2002 Euro Beach Soccer Cup, 2002 Women's Rugby World Cup, 2002 World Interuniversity Games, 2003 World Aquatics Championships, 2006 Men's Hockey Champions Trophy, 2007 European Baseball Championship, 2007 UEFA<unk>CAF Meridian Cup, 2010 European Athletics Championships, FIS Snowboarding World Championships 2011, 2013 World Men's Handball Championship e algúns outros. O Campionato Mundial de Atletismo Acuático de 2013 terá lugar en 2013, e a Copa do Mundo de Baloncesto FIBA de 2014 terá lugar en 2014.