International Champions Cup to Return to Levi’s® Stadium on July 20 with Chivas/Benfica Matchup
Wednesday, March 27, 2019
Relevent Sports Group (RSG) released the 2019 International Champions Cup (ICC) schedule today at its launch event in New York City. This year’s tournament will host 12 of the best clubs in the world playing 18 matches across the United States, Europe and Asia, cementing the ICC as the premier summer international club tournament. In Santa Clara, Benfica will play Chivas de Guadalajara on Saturday, July 20 at Levi’s® Stadium.
The match marks the fifth consecutive year the tournament has been played at Levi’s Stadium, making the event an annual occurance since the stadium opened in 2014.
The tournament’s seventh installment includes world class and groundbreaking matchups highlighted by the historic rivalry between Real Madrid and Atlético de Madrid which will be played for the first time outside of Europe on July 26th, in MetLife Stadium. This year’s clubs include past winners of UEFA Champions League and all the major European leagues and Liga MX. Since its debut, this level of competition has established the ICC as a fixture on the soccer calendar and the start of the international soccer season.
“We couldn’t be more excited about today’s announcement, unveiling a tournament schedule on par with any on the world stage in a setting that is truly unique,” said RSG CEO Daniel Sillman. “This year’s launch event is as much for the die-hard soccer fans as it is for those who celebrate the rich history and culture surrounding game.”
Saturday Night Live vet and star of Hall Pass and Horrible Bosses, Jason Sudeikis hosted the 3-day launch event, unlike anything in the soccer world. Held in the heart of SoHo, New York-based contemporary artist Daniel Arsham and his firm Snarkitecture designed an experiential retail pop-up using art created from historic ICC memorabilia. Arsham will also release a capsule collection of exclusive ICC merchandise on day 2 and 3 of the event.
The launch includes a built-in content studio, a series of discussions with influential voices from the soccer world, and reunions with key players from the 1994 Men’s US World Cup team and the 1999 Women’s US World Cup Championship team. Legends from each ICC club including Lothar Matthaus, Bryan Robson, Robert Pires, Daniele Massaro, and David Trezeguet attended the event.
“What began as a simple idea, is now a fixture on the soccer calendar,” said RSG Executive Chairman Charlie Stillitano. “We were contacted by dozens of clubs wanting to be part of the ICC, recognizing the value of starting their season playing top competition in front of tens of thousands of passionate fans.”
Matches are scheduled between July 16 and August 10 showcasing the world’s elite soccer clubs, including teams from Premier League, Serie A, LaLiga, Bundesliga and Liga MX: Real Madrid; Manchester United; Tottenham Hotspur; Arsenal; AS Roma; Juventus; AC Milan; Inter; Atlético de Madrid; FC Bayern; Benfica; and Chivas de Guadalajara.
The tournament format is consistent with last year’s ICC. Each team will play three matches, and the club with the most points at the end of the tournament will win the championship and receive the first trophy of the season. Each win in regulation will result in three points and a tie will go straight to a shootout; the winning team in a shootout will receive two points and the losing team will receive one.
The tournament will host U.S.-based matches in iconic locations in New York/New Jersey, Los Angeles, Washington D.C., Chicago, Charlotte, Santa Clara, Houston, Arlington, Kansas City and Boston. Cardiff, London, Stockholm, Singapore, and Shanghai will serve as hosts for the Europe and Asia matches.
RSG is committed to building programs that benefit underserved communities and encourage more opportunities for participation in soccer. The ICC Legacy Project, announced at today’s launch, will identify charitable organizations in each match city to leave behind something that will benefit the community. Projects will vary by market based on the specific community need, and all projects will be focused on growing and developing soccer at the grassroots level.
“Our goal is to partner in meaningful ways with our host communities beyond simply playing a soccer match,” said RSG COO Aaron Ryan. “Creating more chances for youth to participate, regardless of background, is core to our mission of growing soccer in North America and Asia.”
Exclusive US presale tickets will be available starting April 2, 2019, with general on-sale ticket access starting on April 9, 2019, with the exception of Real Madrid vs. Atlético de Madrid with
