Premier League Clubs Arsenal, Everton To Play In Baltimore This Summer, Bolstering City's World Cup Bid
BALTIMORE (WJZ) -- The Baltimore Ravens announced Tuesday they will be hosting a pre-season match this summer between English Premier League clubs Arsenal and Everton.
The Charm City Match will happen at M&T Bank Stadium on July 16, and tickets go on sale to the public starting Thursday, May 12, through TicketMaster starting at 10 a.m. Ticket prices have not yet been announced.
The last time the English Premier League played in Baltimore was a decade ago when Liverpool and Tottenham faced off in a sold-out match at M&T Bank Stadium in 2012.
The Ravens said they will announce further engagements with the local community to build excitement for the match.
"We are thrilled to host the Charm City Match and to bring Arsenal and Everton to M&T Bank Stadium," Baltimore Ravens President Sashi Brown said in a statement. "Our city and region have a proven passion for soccer, and the English Premier League is world class. This is not only a terrific event to showcase Baltimore, but it will further bolster the region's already strong World Cup bid."
Baltimore and Washington, D.C. in April merged their bids to be a host city for the 2026 World Cup, with M&T Bank Stadium serving as the centerpiece of their bid as the site for the matches, and the National Mall in D.C. hosting a fan festival.
The Baltimore-Maryland 2026 World Cup Host Committee called the summer match a "huge boost" as the match would the Ravens' stadium's capability to host a world-class soccer match.
"The Charm City Match shows the faith both Arsenal and Everton, as elite football clubs, have in our ability to stage a great show for their players and fans," said Bid President Terry Hasseltine. "I know that we will be able to do the same and even more for FIFA and world football if Baltimore's M&T Bank Stadium is selected to host World Cup matches in 2026."