We have some news - @Arsenal are going back to America this summer! https://t.co/dwgWNyIc6e
— Arsenal FC (@Arsenal) February 11, 2016
Arsenal, it is.
Major League Soccer announced today that the English Premier League giants will face the MLS All-Stars in the 2016 MLS All-Star Game on Thursday, July 28 at San Jose’s Avaya Stadium (6 p.m. PT on TSN).
This will mark Arsenal’s first participation in the MLS All-Star Game. The event will be televised in Canada on TSN and RDS, in the U.S. on ESPN and UniMás, and in more than 140 countries around the world, including Sky Sports in the UK.
“We are pleased to welcome Arsenal, one of the most successful clubs in the world, to compete against the best of MLS,” said MLS Commissioner Don Garber in a statement. “Our AT&T MLS All-Star Week has become a celebration for the North American soccer community, highlighted by two teams showcasing many of the world’s top players. We look forward to a world-class event on July 28 at our newest state-of-the-art venue, Avaya Stadium.”
Currently tied for second place in the Barclays Premier League, Arsenal are managed by Arsene Wenger and feature stars like Alexis Sanchez, Mesut Ozil, Petr Cech, Aaron Ramsey and Theo Walcott. The Gunners are defending English FA Cup champions, winning the domestic cup competition the past two years.
Arsenal’s participation will continue the tradition of the MLS All-Stars facing international clubs, joining the likes of fellow Premier League sides Manchester United, Everton, Chelsea and Arsenal’s biggest rival, Tottenham Hotspur, as well as AS Roma and Bayern Munich.
<a href="https://www.youtube.com/embed/CW_WdibOXKY"></a> |
<b>HIGHLIGHTS: MLS All-Stars defeat Tottenham 2-1</b> |
Last year, the MLS All-Stars defeated Tottenham 2-1 in the summer showcase – Whitecaps FC goalkeeper David Ousted kept a second-half clean sheet in the victory.
Avaya Stadium is the newest stadium in MLS, having opened during the 2015 season and it is the first cloud-enabled stadium in MLS, featuring European-inspired architecture with a canopy roof, the steepest-raked seating in the league and the largest outdoor bar in North America.
San Jose Earthquakes season ticket holders will receive an exclusive pre-sale opportunity to purchase tickets. All others will have the chance to buy tickets to the 2016 MLS All-Star Game through alottery system.
Following the MLS All-Star Game, Arsenal will play Chivas de Guadalajara at the StubHub Center on July 31.
After finishing third in MLS and hosting their first-ever home playoff game in 2015, Vancouver Whitecaps FC open the 2016 MLS regular season on Sunday, March 6 against Montreal Impact (2:30 p.m. PT at BC Place).
Be a part of the best sporting atmosphere in Vancouver! 2016 Whitecaps FC Season Tickets are on sale from $39/month all in. In addition to Season Tickets, Whitecaps FC offer a flexible range of ticket products, including Half-Season Packs, 5-Packs, a Youth Soccer Half-Season Ticket, and single match tickets. For more information, visit
whitecapsfc.com/tickets
.
