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Houston to host European soccer match this summer, its seventh international game in 2023

By Chandler France – Reporter, Houston Business Journal
May 15, 2023

Houston is adding another international soccer match to its résumé this summer with a matchup of two premier European teams coming to the city.

NRG Stadium will host a match between Real Madrid CF and Manchester United FC on July 26, Lone Star Sports and Entertainment said on May 15. It’s the first time the two clubs are meeting in Houston and the first time they are playing each other since 2018. The matchup will be Real Madrid CF’s second visit to Houston and Manchester United's third.

“It’s incredible to welcome back these two iconic clubs in Real Madrid and Manchester United to NRG Stadium this July,” LSSE General Manager David Fletcher said in a statement. “This match is a rare opportunity for fans to see this caliber of talent in person and another chance to showcase Houston as a premier destination for soccer in the world.”

Real Madrid plays in La Liga, the top professional soccer division in the Spanish soccer league system. The club is also the reigning champion of the UEFA Champions League, one of most prestigious soccer tournaments in the world pitting Europe’s best soccer clubs against one another. Manchester United competes in the Premier League, the top division in the English soccer league system.

The match between the two clubs will be a Copa de Lone Star event, LSSE said. The inaugural Copa de Lone Star was played in 2022, bringing Manchester City FC and Club América to NRG Stadium. More than 60,000 fans attended last year’s matchup, LSEE said.

This year’s game is part of the 2023 Soccer Champions Tour, a competition that will bring six of the world’s most well-known soccer clubs to the U.S. every summer through 2027. Real Madrid CF, FC Barcelona, Juventus, AC Milan, Manchester United and Arsenal will play eight total matches in Dallas, Houston, Las Vegas, Los Angeles, Orlando and San Francisco this summer.