Relevent Sports, a division of RSE Ventures today announced that European giants FC Bayern Munich and F.C. Internazionale will face off at Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte on Saturday, July 30 as part of the 2016 International Champions Cup. Kickoff is set for 5 PM ET.
For the third consecutive year, the International Champions Cup will return to Charlotte after two incredibly successful matches that drew more than 60,000 fans each. In 2014, Liverpool F.C. defeated A.C. Milan 2-0 and last year, Chelsea beat Paris Saint-Germain in penalty kicks in a rematch of the Round of 16 in Champions League.
Additional cities across the country will host ICC matches, including San Francisco, Pasadena, Eugene (OR), Columbus, Chicago, New York, and Minneapolis. (Glasgow, Dublin, and Stockholm are featured host cities for the North American Tournament)
Exclusive presale tickets for the FC Bayern Munich and F.C. Internazionale matchup will be available beginning Tuesday, March 29 at 10 a.m. ET while general public will have access to tickets on Tuesday, April 5. Fans can sign up at www.internationalchampionscup.com for access to the presale. All venue-specific and other ticket information is available HERE
The 2016 International Champions Cup will run from July 23 – August 13 and play matches across the United States and throughout the world. Each team will play three 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.
In total, 10 teams from around the globe will compete in the 2016 International Champions Cup:
England – Liverpool, Chelsea, Leicester City
Italy – AC Milan, F.C. Internazionale (Inter Milan)
France – Paris Saint-Germain
Spain – Barcelona, Real Madrid
Germany – Bayern Munich
Scotland – Celtic F.C.
This year’s International Champions Cup features the most storied and successful clubs in the world, including many of the world’s top players. The ten participating teams have won a total of 190 domestic league titles, 246 domestic cup titles and 36 UEFA Champions League titles. First-timers Leicester City will be a welcomed surprise for those stateside that have watched their epic rise in the Premier League. If they win the league (which it looks like so far), this will be a tremendous opportunity to expand their fanbase and could be seen as a “victory” tour.
Other ICC tournaments include those in China and Australia. Clubs participating in the two overseas tourneys include Manchester City, Tottenham Hotspur, Juventus, Atletico Madrid and Melbourne Victory F.C.
-Jon J.
Photos: Anna Lira