Ravens, M&T Bank Stadium to Host Exhibition Football ... Soccer ... This Summer
Kickoff is coming to M&T Bank Stadium a little earlier than anticipated this summer.
The Baltimore Ravens announced on Tuesday that renowned European association football clubs FC Barcelona and AC Milan will do exhibition battle on Tuesday, Aug. 6 as part of the 2024 Soccer Champions Tour.
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Stops at NFL stadiums in Chicago, East Rutherford, and Charlotte are also on the tour's list.
"We are excited to bring to Baltimore two of the most iconic soccer franchises in the world, FC Barcelona and AC Milan," Ravens president Sashi Brown said in a statement. "Hosting international soccer matches at M&T Bank Stadium shows the Mid-Atlantic's growing demand and passion for the beautiful game and the Ravens' commitment to bringing world-class sports and entertainment events to the greater Baltimore region."
Both clubs will bring stellar prestige into the exhibition match: Barca is coming off its 27th La Liga (the top men's football division in its native Spain) title while AC Milan has won 19 championships in Serie A, the Italian equivalent. The match will take place a year and five days after their last battle, a 1-0 Barca win earned with an Ansu Fanti goal in the 55th minute at Allegiant Stadium, home of the Las Vegas Raiders.
AC Milan previously partook in the first soccer game held at M&T Bank Stadium in July 2009, falling 2-1 to English Premier League club Chelsea as part of the World Football Challenge. This summer's match will be the seventh overall on the Ravens' turf, the last being an exhibition between English clubs Arsenal and Everton, which ended in a 2-1 win for the Gunners.
The Ravens are coming off a season that featured a win on a soccer pitch, as they took down new friend Derrick Henry and the Tennessee Titans 24-16 at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in London last October.
