These four world-class soccer teams are playing in Miami this summer
The eyes of the soccer world will be on Hard Rock Stadium again this summer, as four of the sport’s most storied clubs – Real Madrid, Manchester United, Bayern Munich and Manchester City – play matches in Miami as part of the sixth-annual International Champions Cup.
Manchester City plays Bayern Munich on July 28, and Manchester United faces Real Madrid on July 31. Both games are expected to sell out, as did last summer’s El Clasico Miami between Spanish giants Real Madrid and Barcelona.
Also, this year, for the first time, Hard Rock Stadium will host a women’s ICC. Three of Europe’s top women’s teams, including Manchester City F.C. and Paris Saint-Germain, will first participate in a training camp at the University of Portland alongside the top-40 Elite Clubs National League (ECNL) players ages 17-19 from July 21-26.
Following the training camp, the European clubs will fly to Miami and be joined by NWSL powerhouse North Carolina Courage for the inaugural women’s ICC. Semifinal matches will be played on July 27, with the third-place match and final scheduled for July 29.
The five-day soccer event, coming on the heels of the 2018 World Cup in Russia, is Dolphins’ owner Stephen Ross’ latest effort to bring world-class soccer and entertainment to South Florida.
In addition to the four matches, there will be a House of Soccer fan gathering place on Miami Beach – one of six around the country. Like Casa Clasico at Bayfront Park last summer, the House of Soccer will include interactive games, concerts, food, art installations, and special guests.
“When Stephen Ross brought El Clasico to Miami last summer, he wanted to make sure it wasn’t a one-off event,” said Daniel Sillman, CEO of the ICC and RELEVENT Sports, the soccer arm of Ross’ company. “We were determined to build off that, and we feel the matches we have coming to Hard Rock make sense in Miami. They are arguably two of the top matches in the entire tournament.”
Other teams playing in the tournament in other cities are Barcelona, Chelsea, Arsenal, AS Roma, Tottenham Hotspur, PSG, Atletico de Mardrid, AC Milan, Inter, Juventus, Liverpool, Sevilla, Borussia Dortmund and Benfica. Eighteen teams will play a total of 27 matches across the United States, Europe and Singapore.
The tournament includes all of 2018’s UEFA Champions League quarterfinalists
Matches will be played in New York/New Jersey, Miami, Los Angeles, Washington D.C., Chicago, Charlotte, San Diego, Minneapolis, Pittsburgh, Dallas, and Philadelphia. Europe host cities include Vienna, Gothenburg, Madrid, Stockholm, Naples, Klagenfurt, Lecce and Warsaw. Singapore will host three matches.
Each team will play three matches, and the club with the most points at the end of the tournament will be crowned champion. Each win in regulation will result in three points and a tie will go straight to a shootout.
Sillman said the success of recent ICCs has allowed Relevant to become a “key driver” in the sport and to contribute to the development of the women’s game and other initiatives.
“The ICC has been given a platform to contribute to the world of soccer and make an investment in the future of the sport,” Sillman said. “Interest and fandom for European soccer in the United States and Asia is at an all-time high. Record numbers of new kids from every region and community are finding a passion for the game, the mythical teams and compelling personalities.
“The International Champions Cup and RELEVENT are incredibly excited about giving fans another amazing tournament. In addition to hosting legendary clubs in great cities and creating the European football experience, we are committed to finding new and innovative ways bring the teams, players and fans together. Last week’s announcement of the first-ever women’s tournament was met with overwhelming response, underscoring the passion for European soccer and our mission.”
Exclusive presale tickets will be available starting April 24. General on-sale ticket access starts on May 1. European presale tickets will be available on May 9. Fans can sign up on the International Champions Cup website for access to the presale.
“We’ve built something truly unique,” said Charlie Stillitano, Co-Founder and Executive Chairman of RELEVENT. “Our vision of celebrating the world’s greatest clubs and athletes will come to life this summer with epic matches showcasing the most competitive soccer in the world.”
This story was originally published April 17, 2018 at 10:30 AM with the headline "These four world-class soccer teams are playing in Miami this summer."