GREEN BAY — The Green Bay Packers announced today an exhibition match between European soccer clubs FC Bayern Munich and Manchester City, the USA Cup, will take place at Lambeau Field on Saturday, July 23, the first-ever soccer match to be played at the historic American football stadium.
The Packers joined representatives from FC Bayern Munich and Manchester City on Monday morning to make the announcement.
The USA Cup is part of FC Bayern Munich’s preseason Audi Summer Tour, during which they will also stop in Washington, D.C., to play D.C. United on July 20, according to a news release.
Before traveling to Green Bay, Manchester City will also be playing an earlier fixture on July 20 at NRG Stadium in Houston against Club América as part of their 2022/23 preseason trip in the U.S.
This will be the second meeting between the clubs on U.S. territory after Man City defeated FCB 3-2 on July 28, 2018, at Miami’s Hard Rock Stadium in an International Champions Cup match.
“We are looking forward to hosting a different kind of football at Lambeau Field this summer as we welcome FC Bayern Munich and Manchester City to Green Bay,” said Packers President and CEO Mark Murphy in a news release. “Our home stadium is renowned for its history and tradition, and we’re honored to host two equally historic clubs from across the pond. We’re looking forward to seeing their devoted supporters from around the world attend Lambeau Field’s debut soccer match.”
Tickets for the game will go on sale to the public Friday, May 6, at 10 a.m. CDT at Ticketmaster.com. Packers Season Ticket Holders will have access to an exclusive presale starting at 10 a.m. CDT on Thursday, May 5, with additional details provided via email from the Packers ticket office. Season ticket holders and official supporters clubs for FC Bayern Munich and Manchester City will have a separate presale window for tickets starting May 3 at 10 a.m. in their local time zones. Prices range from $35 to $160.
The match will begin at 6 p.m. CDT, with further details regarding broadcast network, match weekend activities and stadium information to be announced in the coming months. Parking for general ticket holders will be $20, first-come, first-served, in the Lambeau Field parking lots.
The Packers organization partnered with Cardenás Marketing Network (CMN), an award-winning touring, booking, sports and multicultural marketing agency, to bring the exhibition match, also referred to as a friendly, to Green Bay. Lambeau Field, the longest-tenured stadium in the NFL, has hosted a variety of non-Packers events over the last decade, including concerts and a college football matchup.
“We are delighted to bring international soccer to Green Bay for the very first time,” said Henry Cardenás, President/CEO of CMN. “We look forward to hosting this historic encounter in partnership with the Packers as it will feature two of the world’s most accomplished football clubs at one of the world’s most celebrated sports venues.”
FCB Legend Claudio Pizarro and Man City Legend Shaun Wright-Phillips took part in Monday’s announcement at Lambeau Field, greeting local soccer club representatives and receiving a special tour of the Packers Hall of Fame from Super Bowl champion and Pro Football and Packers Hall of Fame safety LeRoy Butler.
Founded in 1900, FC Bayern Munich is the most successful club in German history with 31 national titles and six Champions League titles. Recently crowned the 2021/22 Bundesliga champions – a record-breaking 10th consecutive league title – FC Bayern are led by 2020-21 Golden Shoe winner Robert Lewandowski. The 33-year-old Polish international is currently Europe’s top scorer and is expected to lead Poland at the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar.
Some of the biggest names in soccer, including Juergen Klinsmann, Lothar Matthäus, Arjen Robben, Claudio Pizarro, Franck Ribery, Gerd Müller, Oliver Kahn and Franz Beckenbauer, have defended the crest for Die Bayern.
“We are really excited to bring FC Bayern back to the USA after a difficult couple of years with the pandemic,” commented FC Bayern legend Claudio Pizarro. “We are the world’s biggest sports family and we are looking forward to play in front of our family of fans at the iconic Lambeau Field,” he added.
The FCB currently boasts German internationals Thomas Müller, Joshua Kimmich, Manuel Neuer and Leroy Sané, as well as Canadian Men’s Player of the Year, Alphonso Davies, along with French stars Lucas Hernández (defender) and Kingsley Coman (striker). The club is currently managed by Julian Nagelsmann, who took over the reins in July 2021 and is considered one of the best young managers in European football.
Manchester City, the reigning Premier League Champion, was originally founded as St. Mark’s West Gorton in 1880, later assuming its current name in 1894. The Club has secured a European Cup Winners’ Cup, seven League Championship titles, including five Premier League titles in the last seven years (2012, 2014, 2018, 2019, 2021) and six FA Cups. Manchester City is one of 11 clubs comprising the City Football Group (CFG). Under manager Pep Guardiola, one of the most highly decorated managers in world soccer, the Club plays its domestic and UEFA Champions League home fixtures at the 55,000 seat Etihad Stadium that City has called home since 2003. They are scheduled to meet Real Madrid in the second leg of the Champions League Semifinals on Wednesday, May 4.
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“We are really looking forward to going to Green Bay to play Bayern Munich at Lambeau Field in the second friendly of our U.S. preseason trip. We know there is a great sports history and culture across the region and it is an honor for Manchester City to be part of the first professional soccer game to be held at this iconic venue,” said Omar Berrada, Chief Football Operations Officer at City Football Group. “We are excited to have the opportunity to play in front of our fans who we know will come from far and wide as they always do. Our sport continues to develop and grow across the U.S., and we are proud to be part of that. This match will be an important piece of our preparation for the 2022/23 season.”
The Cityzens currently field a roster featuring some of the most promising players in the world, including Kevin De Bruyne (Belgium), Riyad Mahrez (Algeria) and Bernardo Silva (Portugal) – as well as young English talent Jack Grealish, Phil Foden, Raheem Sterling – and American goalkeeper, Zack Steffen. Guardiola took charge of Manchester City in 2016 after a three-year stint managing Bayern Munich, where he won the Bundesliga in each of his three seasons there, including two domestic doubles. Regarded as one of the best managers in world football, Guardiola has guided Man City to Premier League titles in 2018, 2019, and 2021 and last season became the first City boss to take his side to a Champions League final.
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