Barcelona, Real Madrid may open Allegiant Stadium this summer
In a matter of months Allegiant Stadium will officially open as the splashy new home to the National Football League and the Las Vegas Raiders.
But a different brand of futbol could precede the Raiders’ grand opening.
Sources have confirmed that Allegiant is under consideration to be the host venue for the International Champions Cup, an annual summer soccer tour involving some of the most popular teams throughout Europe.
If a deal can be finalized, a match between soccer giants Barcelona and Real Madrid could be the first sporting event at Allegiant Stadium in early August.
The $1.9 billion venue, which is slated to open next summer, is one of two new venues under consideration as host stadiums. The other — SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles — is also scheduled to open next summer as the new home for the Rams and Chargers.
The Raiders are expected to host two preseason games at Allegiant Stadium in late August and early September ahead of their regular-season opener in September. UNLV will play a non-conference football game against Cal on Aug. 29. For now, those are the only sporting events on tap.
The NFL has a history of using international soccer events as soft openings for new stadiums. In 2016, for instance, AC Milan played Chelsea at U.S. Bank Stadium in Minneapolis prior to the Vikings’ christening the new venue. In 2003, the Philadelphia Eagles’ Lincoln Field opened with an exhibition match between Manchester United and FC Barcelona.
Contact Vincent Bonsignore at vbonsignore@reviewjournal.com. Follow @VinnyBonsignore onTwitter. Contact Myles Simmons at msimmons@reviewjournal.com or 702-383-0350. Follow @MylesASimmons on Twitter.
