SEATTLE -Already a summer tradition in the United States, Spains's top soccer teams will once again tour the country as part of their preseason preparations. Real Madrid and Barcelona, two of the world's largest teams, have confirmed their participation in this year's Soccer Champions Tour, featuring a highly anticipated matchup famously known as "El Clásico."
European teams started to tour the U.S. in 2013 as part of the International Champions Cup, a tournament organized by Relevent Sports, but the competition ended as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic.
Now under a new leadership, AEG's and Sixth Street's Soccer Champions Tour's third edition continues to be a success among U.S. soccer fans, and the 2024 tournament will count with five of the biggest clubs in European soccer.
Just Announced! Spanish soccer giants FC Barcelona and Real Madrid CF will meet at MetLife Stadium on Sat., Aug. 3 as part of @thesctour ⚽
— MetLife Stadium (@MetLifeStadium) March 19, 2024
Presales start March 25, signup here: https://t.co/3MvAMNmoMy
🎫 go on sale to the general public on Wed., March 27#soccerchampions pic.twitter.com/1mMXRmcCwl
This will be the fourth "El Clásico" played in American soil and the third consecutive year that American fans will have the opportunity to revive the rivalry. The first game took place in Miami in 2017 and ended in a 3-2 Barcelona victory over their archrivals.
Although it was the first Madrid-Barcelona game to take place in the United States, it wasn't the first time both teams faced each other in a friendly setting outside of Spain. Almost 40 years apart, 'Culés' and 'Merengues' took part in a friendly tournament in Barquisimeto, Venezuela, and played each other in 1982 with Real Madrid edging Barcelona with a 1-0 win.
Friendly "El Clásico" games played outside of Spain
YEAR
2024
2023
2022
2017
1982
LOCATION
New York
Dallas
Las Vegas
Miami
Venezuela
WINNER
???
Barcelona, 3-0
Barcelona, 1-0
Barcelona, 3-2
Real Madrid, 1-0
Times have changed, and 2024 will the the third year in a row in which the LaLiga giants schedule a game in U.S. soil. Perhaps the most important thing about bringing the rivalry to the United States is not about the fans and a lot more with the money. During the ICC era, teams were paid an appearance fee plus additional incentives instead of prize money for competing in the tournament.
European teams that have their preseason in the United States are very well remunerated by the organizers. According to Spanish news outlet AS, Real Madrid made over €15 million last year from their four matches played at the Soccer Champions Tour last year.
On the other hand, Barcelona earned a similar amount during their 2023 tour. According to Mundo Deportivo, the 'Culés' made €12 million from their four-game participation plus €2 million in merchandising.
A few years into the project, the strategy that both soccer clubs are trying to implement in their U.S. tours is to increase the interest of American fans in soccer. Last year, their match at Dallas' AT&T Stadium attracted more than 82,000 fans, setting the record for the biggest crowd in the history of the state of Texas for a game between foreign clubs.
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