Chelsea FC, Club America set for Las Vegas showdown

Las Vegas Review-Journal

3 years ago

United States' Christian Pulisic reacts during the first half of a FIFA World Cup qualifying so ... — United States’ Christian Pulisic reacts during the first half of a FIFA World Cup qualifying soccer match against Panama, Sunday, March 27, 2022, in Orlando, Fla. (AP Photo/Julio Cortez)

Aerial view of Allegiant Stadium on Friday, July 31, 2020, in Las Vegas. (Michael Quine/Las Vegas Review-Journal) @Vegas88s

Mexico goalkeeper Guillermo Ochoa celebrates after winning the group F match between Germany and Mexico at the 2018 soccer World Cup in the Luzhniki Stadium in Moscow, Russia, Sunday, June 17, 2018. Mexico won Germany 1-0. (AP Photo/Antonio Calanni)

This summer Las Vegas will again take center stage in the soccer world when Chelsea FC and Club America meet July 16 at Allegiant Stadium.

Chelsea is two-time Champions League and six-time English Premier League champions. The team features international soccer stars such as American Christian Pulisic, Belgian Romelu Lukaku, England’s Mason Mount, all who are headed to the 2022 World Cup.

The Allegiant Stadium match is part of Chelsea’s U.S. tour ahead of their 2022 Premier League season.

“We’ve always had a lot of success on our US tours, taking so many fans to the stadiums and giving them the opportunity to see Chelsea FC play live,” Petr Cech, Chelsea FC technical and performance advisor said in a statement. “ We have a huge fan base in the U.S. that we’ve proudly built, and we’ve seen that fan base getting bigger and bigger every year.”

Club América has won more league championships than any other Mexican club and the most international club titles in Concacaf. The team is led by four-time World Cup veteran Mexican National Team goalkeeper Guillermo Ochoa and offensive stars Henry Martin and Roger Martinez.

“We are very excited to face rivals like Chelsea FC. It is an honor to us, playing with such a big UK team, thank you for the invitation,” Santiago Banos, president of Club America said in a statement. “This will be an incredible opportunity for all our fans and the UK fans to know and to enjoy Mexican football, and also to expand our league.”

Tickets for the game go on sale at 10 a.m. May 25 on TicketMaster.

The Las Vegas match marks the third-ever game between Chelsea and Club America, all of which have occurred in America. Chelsea is 2-0 in the previous two matches.

Large sporting events such as this soccer match were a major factor in the state contributing $750 million in public money to construct the $2 billion Allegiant Stadium, which led to the Raiders relocating to Southern Nevada. That public contribution is being paid by a 0.88 percent tax on hotel rooms in Clark County.

“Bringing a match of this caliber to Las Vegas will create unparalleled excitement and energy, and we can’t wait to welcome fans from around the world,” Steve Hill, CEO and president of the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority said in a statement. “The players, fans and staff will enjoy the many ‘Only Vegas’ experiences that make Las Vegas the greatest arena on earth, from world class entertainment to unrivaled dining, sports and attractions.”

Contact Mick Akers at makers@reviewjournal.com or 702-387-2920. Follow @mickakers on Twitter.