NEW YORK – MLS today announced that reigning UEFA Champions League winner Real Madrid will face the best of MLS in the 2017 MLS All-Star Game presented by Target on August 2, at Soldier Field in Chicago. The game will air at 9 p.m. ET on FS1, UniMás, TSN and TVA Sports domestically as well as across 170 countries globally.
Established in 1902, Real Madrid is one of the most successful clubs in the world, having claimed a record 32 La Liga championships and 11 UEFA Champions League titles, as well as capturing the UEFA Super Cup and the FIFA Club World Cup on multiple occasions. Under the direction of the legendary
Zinedine Zidane
, Los Blancos currently sit atop the La Liga table and are in the quarterfinals of the 2016-2017 UEFA Champions League tournament. The club is home to internationally renowned stars such as four-time Ballon d’Or recipient
Cristiano Ronaldo
, 27-year-old star
Gareth Bale
, and four-time La Liga Best Defender
Sergio Ramos
.
This will mark the first time a team from Spain's La Liga will appear in the MLS All-Star Game. The MLS All-Stars have previously faced clubs from the England’s Premier League, Germany's Bundesliga, Italy's Serie A, Mexico's Liga MX and the Scottish Premier League, owning an 8-4-1 record against some of the world’s most decorated clubs.
“It is an honor to represent Major League Soccer and to work with our League’s great players in a match against one of the top clubs in the word,” said Chicago Fire head coach Veljko Paunovic. “I know how special it is to compete against Real Madrid and I think our players and fans will also enjoy the experience."
The best way to guarantee your ticket to the 2017 MLS All-Star game against Real Madrid is to contact the Chicago Fire at 888-MLS-Fire or tickets@chicago-fire.com for an exclusive presale offering. Tickets will go on-sale to the public on Thursday, May 4th at 10 a.m. ET via Ticketmaster.com. For the ultimate fan experience visit MLSsoccer.com/allstar for VIP ticket package details.
Soldier Field, with a capacity of 61,500, has played host to some of the most exciting sporting and entertainment events in the world including CONCACAF Gold Cup matches, World Cup Qualifiers, 1994 FIFA World Cup matches, and last summer’s Copa America Centenario. Not only has Soldier Field hosted a wealth of international soccer events, the venerable Chicago landmark also has a rich MLS legacy, as it was home to the Chicago Fire for the club's first four seasons, from 1998-2001, then again from 2003-2005. The Fire owned a 62-23-10 record (.705 winning percentage) in their home games at Soldier Field, a span which also includes the club's three appearances in MLS Cup.
Columbus Crew SC next visits the New York Red Bulls on April 22 for a 7:30 p.m. ET kickoff. The Black & Gold return to MAPFRE Stadium on April 29 for a 7:30 p.m. ET kickoff against Andrea Pirlo, David Villa and New York City FC. In 2016, Crew SC midfielder and current captain Wil Trapp represented Columbus at the All-Star Game in San Jose, Calif. He was the Club's first-ever Homegrown Player selected to an All-Star team.
In addition to the All-Star Game, MLS will host nearly a week of events surrounding the game, including concerts, community service initiatives, player appearances, as well as an additional showcase match featuring the best young players from across the league.
MLS ALL-STAR GAMES
1996: East 3, West 2 (E. Rutherford, N.J.)
1997: East 5, West 4 (E. Rutherford, N.J.)
1998: MLS USA 6, MLS World 1 (Orlando, Fla.)
1999: West 6, East 4 (San Diego, Calif.)
2000: East 9, West 4 (Columbus, Ohio)
2001: East 6, West 6 (San Jose, Calif.)
2002: MLS 3, U.S. National Team 2 (Washington, D.C.)
2003: MLS 3, CD Guadalajara 1 (Carson, Calif.)
2004: East 3, West 2 (Washington, D.C.)
2005: MLS 4, Fulham FC 1 (Columbus, Ohio)
2006: MLS 1, Chelsea FC 0 (Bridgeview, Ill.)
2007: MLS 2, Celtic FC 0 (Commerce City, Colo.)
2008: MLS 3, West Ham United FC 2 (Toronto, Ont., Canada)
2009: MLS 1, Everton FC 1 (Everton 4-3 pen) (Sandy, Utah)
2010: Manchester United FC 5, MLS 2 (Houston, Texas)
2011: Manchester United FC 4, MLS 0 (Harrison, N.J.)
2012: MLS 3, Chelsea FC 2 (Chester, Pa.)
2013: A.S. Roma 3, MLS 1 (Kansas City, Kan.)
2014: MLS 2, FC Bayern Munich 1 (Portland, Ore.)
2015: MLS 2, Tottenham Hotspur 1 (Denver, Colo.)
2016: MLS 1, Arsenal FC 2 (San Jose, Calif.)
2017: MLS vs. Real Madrid (Soldier Field, August 2, FS1, UniMás, TSN, TVA Sport)
