Sports

World Football Challenge Hosts Top Soccer Teams

by Rachel Nixon | March 24, 2009 at 01:37 pm

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Some of Europe's best soccer teams will be heading to the US in July for the World Football Challenge - a tour designed to expand their international profile.

Chelsea, AC Milan, Inter Milan and the Mexican team Club America will be taking part in a one-week, six-city tournament ahead of the Major League Soccer season.

“It gives us the opportunity to really capitalize on the growing support of the game,” said Peter Kenyon, the chief executive of Chelsea. “It’s utilizing the team — on the back of broadcast — to go and support football development, soccer development, and also allow our fans, who are an ever-growing number, to come and touch the holy grail if you like.”

The teams will play at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, Calif.; the Georgia Dome in Atlanta; Atlanta’s MT&T Bank Stadium; Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Mass.; Stanford Stadium in Palo Alto, Calif.; and the new Cowboys Stadium in Texas. All games will be televised on ESPN or ESPN2, as well as the Spanish-language network, ESPN Deportes, and online at ESPN360.com

The foreign teams will also be competing in matches against MLS sides ahead of the World Football Challenge proper.

Here's the World Football Challenge match schedule:

Sunday, July 19
Club America vs. FC Internazionale Milano at Stanford Stadium (Palo Alto, Calif.)
7 p.m. EST on ESPN2

Tuesday, July 21
Chelsea FC vs. FC Internazionale Milano at the Rose Bowl (Pasadena, Calif.)
11 p.m. EST on ESPN2

Wednesday, July 22
AC Milan vs. Club America at the Georgia Dome (Atlanta, Ga.)
7 p.m. EST on ESPN2

Friday, July 24
AC Milan vs. Chelsea FC at M&T Bank Stadium (Baltimore, Md.)
8 p.m. EST on ESPN

Sunday, July 26
AC Milan vs. FC Internazionale Milano at Gillette Stadium (Foxborough, Mass.)
5 p.m. EST on ESPN2

Sunday, July 26
Chelsea FC vs. Club America at Dallas Cowboys Stadium (Arlington, Texas)
7 p.m. EST on ESPN2