2016 will be a busy year on American soccer pitches (and converted football stadiums). The Florida Cup once again kicks off the season of teams coming to the US for the joy of our fans (and their dollars). The participating teams: Florida Cup 2016 teams confirmed: Brazil’s Corinthians, Fluminense, Atlético Mineiro and Internacional Germany’s Schalke 04 and Bayer 04 Ukraine’s Shakhtar Donetsk Colombia’s Independiente Santa Fe United States of America’s Fort Lauderdale Strikers Each team is scheduled to play 2 matches at either ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex in Kissimmee, at FAU Stadium in Boca Raton or at Lockhart Stadium in Ft. Lauderdale. Given the sizes of these fields, they aren't going for the massive crowds that other friendlies seek (and sometimes fail to achieve). The schedule: http://www.floridacup.com/tickets-and-packets/
The schedule hasn't been announced yet, but the venues for the 2016 Copa America Centenario have been announced: Organizers chose Boston (Gillette Stadium), Chicago (Soldier Field), Houston (NRG Stadium), Los Angeles (Rose Bowl), New York (MetLife Stadium), Orlando (Citrus Bowl), Philadelphia (Lincoln Financial Field), Phoenix (University of Phoenix Stadium), the Bay Area (Levi’s Stadium) and Seattle (CenturyLink Field). Most venues will host at least three matches. The June 3-26 competition will feature the 10 traditional South American countries — Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Paraguay, Peru, Uruguay and Venezuela — plus six from the CONCACAF region. The United States and Mexico were automatic selections, and Costa Rica and Jamaica qualified through Central America and Caribbean championships, respectively. The last two slots will be determined by Jan. 8 playoffs in Panama City: Trinidad and Tobago vs. Haiti and Panama vs. Cuba. https://www.washingtonpost.com/news...ized-for-2016-copa-america-soccer-tournament/
Mexico will meet Senegal in an international friendly on February 10, 2016, at Marlins Park in Miami, it was announced Tuesday. http://www.concacaf.com/article/mexico-senegal-to-square-off-february-in-miami
SAN JOSE, Calif. – The San Jose Earthquakes announced today that Avaya Stadium will host an international friendly between Monarcas de Morelia and Xolos de Tijuana of Liga MX in Mexico on Sunday, January 3. It marks the second contest in a series of Copa Nissan matches that brings the top soccer clubs from Liga MX to the United States. http://www.sjearthquakes.com/post/2...-host-monarcas-morelia-xolos-tijuana-friendly
Schedule for the non-US matches at the 2016 Florida Cup: 1/10/16 Bayer Leverkusen vs. Santa Fe Orlando - ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex 1/13/16 Schalke vs. Atletico MG Fort Lauderdale - Lockhart 1/13/16 Internacional vs. Bayer Leverkusen Orlando - ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex 1/16/16 Florida Cup All-Star Game Orlando - ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex 1/17/16 Shakhtar Donesk vs. Fluminense Orlando - ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex 1/17/16 Atletico MG vs. Corinthians Boca Raton - FAU Stadium 1/20/16 Corinthians vs. Shakhtar Donesk Orlando - ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex 1/20/16 Fluminense vs. Internacional Fort Lauderdale - Lockhart
January 3, 2016 Friendly Tijuana 2-1 Monarcas Avaya Stadium, San Jose, CA Attendance: no official number announced, but estimated at about 6,000
First match of the Florida Cup: 1/10/16 Bayer Leverkusen 1-0 Santa Fe Orlando - ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex No attendance announced
From the Florida Cup: 1/13/16 Schalke 0-3 Atletico MG Lockhart Stadium, Fort Lauderdale, FL Attendance: 2,504 1/13/16 Internacional 3-3. Bayer Leverkusen ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex, Orlando, FL Attendance: Not available
To give a sense of why these games are so important, take a look at this line item from the USSF's most recent financial report: International games revenue: 2015: $8,024,177 2014: $5,225,021 FY ended March 31, 2015 As near as I can figure out, this is the revenue generated from international matches played in the US. This FY covers the lead up to the WC, so a lot of friendly matches were played here. The $8M is pretty much equal to the "profit" (revenue minus expenses) for the non-profit USSF in that FY. http://www.ussoccer.com/~/media/fil...-audited-financial-statements-final.pdf?la=en
Florida Cup 2016 January 17, 2016 Shakhtar Donetsk 1–1 Fluminense ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex, Orlando, Florida January 17, 2016 Atlético Mineiro 1-0 Corinthians FAU Stadium, Boca Raton, Florida January 20, 2016 Corinthians 3–2 Shakhtar Donetsk ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex, Orlando, Florida January 20, 2016 Fluminense 0–1 Internacional Lockhart Stadium, Fort Lauderdale, Florida No attendance figures were reported.
February 10th, 2016 Mexico 2-0 Senegal Marlins Park, Miami, FL Attendance: 15,588 http://www.espnfc.com/club/mexico/2...come-to-mexico-rescue-in-puzzling-senegal-win The "partidos moleros" (meaningless friendlies to earn the federation money) charge has been around Mexican soccer for years and centers around games in the United States. Wednesday's match in Miami was a case in point. How important are these games? Should Mexico be playing them? And is it fair to the Liga MX to be asking players like Nestor Araujo, Jesus Molina and Candido Ramirez to play domestic matches -- Santos Laguna plays Monterrey on Friday -- 48 hours after a national team game? The debate was already surging ahead in Mexican newspapers and sports programs ahead of the game. It will likely be a talking point in Thursday morning's sports pages.
From Soccer Insider: March 26: Leon vs. Chivas Guadalajara friendly in Portland July 31: Arsenal vs. Chivas Guadalajara friendly at StubHub Center in Carson, Calif.
CONCACAF Women's Olympic Qualifying February 11th, 2016 Guatemala 1-2 T&T Canada 5-0 Guyana BBVA Compass Stadium, Houston, Texas Attendance: 836
Mexico playing in Atlanta and San Diego for pre-Copa friendlies, SUM announces. Opponents TBA.— Jon Arnold (@ArnoldcommaJon) February 17, 2016
Colombia U23 and Honduras U23 played to a 1-1 draw at Lockhart Stadium in Fort Lauderdale on 2/25/16. I couldn't find any attendance numbers (and tickets starting at $25 probably didn't help draw a crowd). The 2 squads play again today in the same location.
The other non-US doubleheader matches from the CONCACAF Women's Olympic qualifiers: February 14th, 2016 Guyana 2-1 Guatemala Canada 6-0 T&T BBVA Compass Stadium, Houston, TX Attendance: 1,453 February 16th, 2016 T&T 5-1 Guyana Canada 10-0 Guatemala BBVA Compass Stadium, Houston, TX Attendance: 859
February 27th, 2016 Colombia U23 2-2 Honduras U23 Lockhart Stadium, Ft. Lauderdale, FL Attendance: 7,832
Bayern Munich heading to the US this summer: http://www.socceramerica.com/article/67891/report-bayern-munich-set-for-usa-summer-tour.html
Interesting possibility... It appears Tuesday's meeting was about staging single-leg Champions League first-round knockout matches in the US...— Ben Rumsby (@ben_rumsby) March 3, 2016
The USSF's budget was made available as part of their annual meeting and it confirms some of the assumptions above. Here's info on next year's "international games revenue": Revenue from international games played in the United States: $5.2 million This is self-explanatory, and also somewhat controversial for a portion of the American soccer community. USSF gets a cut of revenue from all international soccer games that are played in the United States, whether exhibitions or games of consequence, as a condition of allowing the games to take place. Some promoters have raised objections to this over the years. The most famous is longtime soccer marketer Charlie Stillitano, who in sued USSF in 2006 on anti-trust grounds on behalf of his company, then known as ChampionsWorld. It took six years for the case to run its full course, and Stillitano ultimately lost. He later brought the ChampionsWorld property to Relevent Sports, which now runs the annual International Champions Cup series of summer friendlies. Revenues from international games played in the United States FY 2014 actual $5,225,021 FY 2015 actual $8,024,177 FY 2016 budget $3,765,000 FY 2016 projected $4,460,677 FY 2017 budget $5,204,600 And there's this: Copa América Centenario revenue: $15.0 million http://www.philly.com/philly/blogs/...-national-teams-NWSL.html#f3QFSxJWvolKT8jl.99
Paraguay Confirmed as Mexico’s Opponent for May 28 Game at @GeorgiaDome. #ATLUTD pic.twitter.com/V441aCAPE1— Atlanta United FC (@ATLUTD) March 8, 2016
RE: Mexico friendly in May + @GrantWahl's report on #USMNT friendlies - Expect most, if not all, Copa América sides in U.S. for buildup.— Kyle McCarthy (@kylejmccarthy) March 8, 2016