Galaxy to play host to Club America, FC Barcelona in July

The Galaxy will play host to Spanish giant Barcelona and Mexico’s Club America this July as part of the 10-team International Champions Cup.

The game with Lionel Messi’s Barcelona is scheduled for 8 p.m. July 21 at the Rose Bowl. The game against Club America will be played at 8:30 p.m. July 11 at the StubHub Center and will kickoff the third ICC tournament, which will run through Aug. 5 at stadiums in the U.S., Canada, Mexico, Italy and England.

Also participating are UEFA Champions League quarterfinalists FC Porto of Portugal and Paris Saint-Germaine of France; Chelsea, which will soon be crowned champion of the English Premier League; England’s Manchester United; and the San Jose Earthquakes and New York Red Bulls of Major League Soccer.”

“Southern California is the perfect location to host multiple soccer matches,” Charlie Stillitano, chairman of tournament organizer Relevent Sports, said in a statement. “Last year’s match with the Galaxy at the Rose Bowl against Manchester United drew more than 80,000 fans, illustrating the demand for world-class soccer in the area.

“We are thrilled to bring both Club América and Barcelona and their rabid fan bases to Los Angeles. The reigning MLS Cup winners facing the best teams in Mexico and Spain will provide electric soccer in front of an engaged and raucous crowd.”

Other key matchups in the 17-game tournament include America-Manchester United in Seattle on July 17, Porto-Paris Saint-Germain in Toronto on July 18, Manchester United-Barcelona in Santa Clara on July 25 and Manchester United-Paris Saint-Germain in Chicago on July 29.

Although some teams will play as many as four games in the tournament, the Galaxy, which also has MLS league play, the U.S. Open Cup and CONCACAF Champions League games on its schedule, will play just twice. Yet despite the difficult schedule, Galaxy Coach Bruce Arena welcomes the chance to test his team against America and Barcelona.

“I think it’s great,” he said. “And it’s going to fit into our schedule, which is not always the case.”

Liverpool captain Steven Gerrard, who will join the Galaxy when the summer transfer window opens, will be eligible to play in both ICC games, likely making his Galaxy debut against America.

That’s another plus for Arena.

“Sometimes they’re a nuisance, other times they’re productive,” Arena said of international exhibitions. “This time around it will be good for us. It gives [Gerrard] an opportunity to get on the field with us. That in itself is a positive.”

The match against Club América is included in Galaxy season ticket members’ plans as a bonus game and fans can purchase a ticket for the matches by becoming an season-ticket holder. Additionally a presale for additional Club América tickets will take place May 4 while tickets will be made available to the general public on May 7.

Tickets to the Galaxy’s match against Barcelona will go on sale in the coming weeks. To receive additional ticketing information, sign up at https://www.lagalaxy.com/ICC.

Presale tickets for much of the rest of the tournament will be available beginning May 4 at 7 a.m. PDT while general-public access will open May 7 at 7 a.m. More information is available at internationalchampionscup.com.

The full International Champions Cup schedule (all times PDT):

July 11: Club América vs. Los Angeles Galaxy, StubHub Center, 8:30 p.m.

July 14: Club América vs. San Jose Earthquakes, Avaya Stadium, San Jose, 7:30 p.m.

July 17: Club América vs. Manchester United, CenturyLink Field, Seattle, 8 p.m.

July 18: FC Porto vs. Paris Saint-Germain, BMO Field, Toronto, 5:30 p.m.

July 21: Galaxy vs. FC Barcelona, Rose Bowl, 8 p.m.; Paris Saint-Germain vs. ACF Fiorentina, Red Bull Arena; Harrison, N.J., 5:30 p.m. EST; Manchester United vs. San Jose Earthquakes, site and time BA

July 22: Chelsea vs. New York Red Bulls, Red Bull Arena, Harrison, N.J., 5 p.m.

July 24: Fiorentina vs. FC Porto, Rentschler Field, Hartford, Conn., 5 p.m.

July 25: Manchester United vs. Barcelona, Levi’s Stadium, Santa Clara, 1 p.m.; Paris Saint-Germain vs. Chelsea, Bank of America Stadium; Charlotte, N.C., 3 p.m.

July 26: FC Porto vs. New York Red Bulls, Red Bull Arena, Harrison, N.J., 4:30 p.m. EST

July 28: Barcelona vs. Chelsea, FedEx Field, Washington, D.C. 5 p.m. EST; Club América vs. FC Porto, Estadio Azteca; Mexico City, 7 p.m. EST

July 29: Manchester United vs. Paris Saint-Germain, Solider Field, Chicago, 6 p.m.

Aug. 2: Fiorentina vs. Barcelona, Stadio Artemio Franchi; Florence, Italy. Time TBA

Aug. 5: Chelsea vs. Fiorentina, Stamford Bridge, London, noon