United States soccer fans will be treated to some of the world’s top players and club teams this summer thanks to the vision of Miami Dolphins owner Stephen Ross.
Real Madrid, Juventus and Inter Milan will join the Los Angeles Galaxy in the eight-team field for the inaugural Guinness International Champions Cup announced Wednesday.
Four more teams will be announced on May 7.
FOX Soccer will televise live 11 of the bracketed tournament’s 12 matches, including the Aug. 7 championship at Sun Life Stadium.
All eight teams will play at Sun Life Stadium for doubleheaders on Aug. 6-7.
“The United States has never seen a club soccer tournament of this scope and caliber,” Relevant Sports CEO Charlie Stillitano said. “The teams are world-class, the fans are passionate and we could not be happier to facilitate such a landmark event.
“I want to personally thank Stephen Ross for the vision and support in turning this tournament into a reality.”
Matches in future years of the multiyear agreement will be televised on FOX Sports 1, which will launch in August.
“FOX Soccer is excited to work with Relevant Sports and Guinness to be the primary television home for the Guinness International Champions Cup this summer,” said David Nathanson, executive vice president and general manager, FOX Soccer.
“The tournament brings great teams from around the world together in the US and gives American soccer fans a chance to see the sport and at its highest level of play.”
The participating teams include some of the world’s top players, including Real Madrid’s Cristiano Ronaldo and Sergio Ramos and Juventus veteran Andrea Pirlo. Landon Donovan, currently taking a break from the US national men’s team, plays for Major League Soccer’s Galaxy.
The Guinness International Champions Cup will begin in a yet-to-be-determined European city on July 27 and then will be contested over seven days at six U.S. venues. The semifinals will be held Aug. 3-4 in New York and Los Angeles.
Each team will play at least three matches in the tournament and one match at Sun Life Stadium.
Indianapolis, Phoenix and San Francisco also will host matches this year.
Relevant Sports is a division of RSE Ventures, co-founded by Ross and Matt Higgins in 2012.
Charlie McCarthy can be reached at mac1763@bellsouth.net or on Twitter @mccarthy_chas
