SAN JOSE, Calif. –
The San Jose Earthquakes announced today that their match against Manchester United on July 21 as part of the International Champions Cup North America Presented by Guinness will be moved to Avaya Stadium. The match, originally slated to be played at Cal Memorial Stadium in Berkeley, pits San Jose against one of the world’s most well known clubs at the Quakes new venue. The match will kick off at 8 p.m. PT.
Fans who already purchased tickets for the match at Cal Memorial Stadium will be contacted directly, refunded and given a special presale opportunity to purchase seats for the match at Avaya Stadium. There will then be a presale for Earthquakes Season Ticket Holders, before tickets are opened up to the general public on Monday, July 6 at 10:00 a.m. Tickets can be purchased at sjearthquakes.com, at the Earthquakes’ Front Office at 1123 Coleman Ave or by calling Ticketmaster at 800-745-3000.
“We are excited to bring one of the biggest clubs in the world, Manchester United, to Avaya Stadium,” said Earthquakes President Dave Kaval. “Avaya Stadium has hosted some memorable events in its first year and it is the perfect venue for soccer fans to see a great matchup between Manchester United and the Quakes. This event builds on San Jose’s rich soccer history and will be a memorable night for the local community.”
Avaya Stadium will now host two matches during the 2015 International Champions Cup North America. The other, featuring the San Jose Earthquakes and Club América on Tuesday, July 14, is already sold-out. The contest between Manchester United and San Jose was moved in order to meet Manchester United’s requirements for travel and logistical reasons. Manchester United will base in San Jose and train at Avaya Stadium for both this contest and their match vs. FC Barcelona at Levi’s® Stadium.
“Avaya Stadium is one of the best soccer-specific stadiums in the United States and we are thrilled to play two matches here during the International Champions Cup,” said Charlie Stillitano, Chairman of Relevent Sports. “Manchester United is one of the most prestigious clubs in the world and bringing them to a passionate soccer fan base in San Jose will be a great experience for all involved.”
The Earthquakes have historically fared well against international competition, holding a 9-8-8 record in all international friendlies since 1996, and are currently on a 10-game unbeaten streak dating back to 2004. In addition to friendlies, the Quakes have played in competitive international tournaments, including the 2014 Copa Euroamericana at Candlestick Park, where San Jose held the defending La Liga champions, Atletico Madrid, to a 0-0 draw through 90 minutes before falling 4-3 in penalty kicks.
The 2015 International Champions Cup North America will run from July 11 – August 5 and feature 17 matches played across 12 regions throughout the world. Each team will play four contests 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; the winning team in a shootout will receive two points and the losing team will receive one. The results from in-season Major League Soccer contests involving tournament participants will be used as part of official tournament scoring.
In total, 10 teams from across the globe, including England (Manchester United, Chelsea FC), Portugal (SL Benfica), France (Paris Saint-Germain), Mexico (Club América), Spain (FC Barcelona), Italy (ACF Fiorentina) and the United States (San Jose Earthquakes, LA Galaxy and New York Red Bulls) will compete in the 2015 International Champions Cup North America. The participating teams have won a total of 108 domestic league titles, 107 domestic cup titles, six CONCACAF Champions League titles and 10 UEFA Champions League titles. The teams feature nine of the 2014-2015 FIFA Ballon d'Or nominees, as well as 30 of the top 100 players in the world as chosen yearly by renowned English magazine FourFourTwo.
About Avaya Stadium
Avaya Stadium is an 18,000 seat stadium located on Coleman Ave. adjacent to the San Jose International Airport. The European-inspired building is the first cloud-enabled venue in Major League Soccer and among the most technologically advanced stadiums in the world. Avaya Stadium was honored with the Product Innovation Award at the Stadium Business Awards in Barcelona. The stadium features a canopy roof and the steepest-raked seating in Major League Soccer to provide the best possible fan experience. Additionally, the north end zone houses the largest outdoor bar in North America, a two-acre fan zone and a double-sided video scoreboard. The suites and club seats are located at field level, giving fans a premium experience unlike any other in professional sports. For more information about Avaya Stadium, visit sjearthquakes.com.
About the International Champions Cup
The International Champions Cup is an annual summer soccer tournament organized by Relevent Sports, featuring the best clubs from around the world. A staple property of Relevent Sports and RSE Ventures, the International Champions Cup brings the best in soccer to iconic sports venues across North America, Australia, Europe and China.
Last year, the International Champions Cup featured premier European clubs including Manchester United, Liverpool, Real Madrid, Manchester City, AC Milan, Roma, Inter Milan and Olympiacos. The tournament, played across 13 North American cities, saw Manchester United go undefeated en route to the championship. The International Champions Cup also featured the largest attended soccer match in United States history, when 109,318 fans packed the “Big House” at the University of Michigan to witness Manchester United defeat Real Madrid. The inaugural tournament in 2013 featured eight clubs – Real Madrid, Juventus, Chelsea, Inter Milan, AC Milan, Valencia, Everton and the L.A. Galaxy. It concluded with Real Madrid’s victory over Chelsea in front of nearly 70,000 fans.
Since its inception in 2013, more than one million fans have packed stadiums to watch clubs compete in the International Champions Cup, along with more than 700 million households watching worldwide. In 2015, the tournament will expand to Asia and Australia, as it continues to grow rapidly and attract fans from all over the world.
