Real Madrid To Face Celtic FC At Lincoln Financial Field
PHILADELPHIA (Via Press Release) – Lincoln Financial field, a growing national destination for premier entertainment and sporting events, announced today that the stadium will host a match between two of the world's most decorated soccer clubs, Spain's La Liga champion Real Madrid and Scottish Premier League title holder Celtic, as part of the 2012 World Football Challenge.
The two teams will square off on August 11 at 1:30 pm in Philadelphia. Tickets for the match go on sale to the general public at 10 am on Monday, June 4 and can be purchased by visiting www.philadelphiaeagles.com, Ticketmaster.com and WorldFootballChallenge.com.
"We are thrilled to have two international soccer powerhouses playing at Lincoln Financial Field this summer," said Eagles COO Don Smolenski. "Last year's match between Real Madrid and the Philadelphia Union brought a great deal of fanfare and showed the passion this city has for the sport. We expect to build on that excitement by having two of the most decorated soccer clubs in the world, both reigning champions of their respective leagues, go up against each other. It should make for an entertaining afternoon of soccer."
"This is a magnificent event for Celtic Football Club to be involved in and one which again demonstrates the strength and influence of the Celtic brand on a global scale," said Celtic Chief Executive Peter Lawwell. "This match will allow us to promote Celtic and, of course, Scottish football across the USA, something we have done for a number of years with great success. We have enjoyed tremendous footballing occasions in the past there and I am sure this match in Philadelphia, between two of the greatest names in football, will be no different. We look forward to coming up against Jose Mourinho again and competing against some of the world´s greatest players at Real Madrid. We are very fortunate to have such a wonderful support right across the world - as we have seen across Europe, the USA and Australia in recent seasons, the Celtic family stretches far and wide in huge numbers. It is right that we do all we can to give these supporters the opportunity to see the team play and in doing so promote all that is great about Celtic and Scottish football."
Founded in 1902, Real Madrid has won a record nine UEFA Champions Leagues and 32 La Liga titles, 18 Spanish Copa del Rey Cups, eight Spanish Super Cups, two UEFA Cups, one UEFA Supercup and three Intercontinental Cups.
Established in 1887, Celtic FC has won the Scottish League Championship 43 times, including the most recent 2012 season. They are also the reigning Scottish Cup champions, having won a record 35 times. They were the first British soccer club ever to win the European Cup (1967), and are one-time UEFA Cup runners-up (2003).
The match adds another summer highlight to the lineup at Lincoln Financial Field, joining Monster Jam (June 9) and the sold-out Kenny Chesney/Tim McGraw concert (June 16).
This marks the 18th soccer match to be played at Lincoln Financial Field since its inception in 2003, including last year's friendly between Real Madrid and the Philadelphia Union which sold more than 57,000 tickets. Celtic will also be playing in their second match at Lincoln Financial Field, after defeating Manchester United 2-1 in July 2004 in front of over 54,000 fans.
One of the largest and most successful soccer exhibitions ever staged in North America, the World Football Challenge brings together many of the world's most accomplished and celebrated soccer clubs to play in major sports venues across the region. Now in its third year, the World Football Challenge is hosted in partnership by CAA Sports, a division of Creative Artists Agency (CAA), the world's leading entertainment and sports agency, and Major League Soccer (MLS), the top-flight professional soccer league in the U.S. and Canada. More than half a million fans attended the event last year and sports fans across North America will once again enjoy a summer of top international matches in 2012.
Additional details regarding the World Football Challenge including ticket information, teams, match schedule, event sponsors, and broadcast information will be announced in the coming weeks, and posted on the event's official site, www.WorldFootballChallenge.com.
