International soccer superpower Manchester United confirmed today that several of its marquee stars will be included in their final travel roster for their match against the Kansas City Wizards on July 25 at the New Arrowhead Stadium. The exhibition will be the first event at newly renovated Arrowhead and rivals the greatest sporting events Kansas City has ever seen. The list of confirmed international standouts includes legendary midfielder Ryan Giggs (Wales), English stars Paul Scholes and Gary Neville, as well as Darren Fletcher (Scotland), Dimitar Berbatov (Bulgaria) and Edwin Van der Sar (Holland).
“When OnGoal purchased the team in 2006, these international players are exactly the type of superstars we envisioned showcasing to the soccer fans of Kansas City and the Midwest,” Wizards President Robb Heineman said. “A great turnout at the match will enable us to continue bringing high-caliber teams and matches to Kansas City.”
The Manchester United match provides another opportunity for Kansas Citians to show their passion for the sport as part of the highly successful Summer of Soccer. To date, over 30,000 soccer fans have gathered for World Cup watch parties in the Kansas City Power & Light District, including 12,000 on June 26 alone to see the United States face Ghana in a World Cup Round of 16 match. That crowd, among the largest in the nation, was shown live on ABC’s game broadcast and seen by over 15 million people in the U.S.
“We will never have a better opportunity than this match to show FIFA that Kansas City and the United States will make ideal hosts for the World Cup in 2018 or 2022,” Kansas City Bid Committee Director David Ficklin said. “We look forward to showing FIFA that Kansas City is a world-class soccer community with a huge, enthusiastic crowd on July 25.”
A limited number of lower-level seats are still available for the friendly versus Manchester United, but fans are encouraged to act quickly to reserve their seats before all lower-level seats are sold out. Tickets are available through Ticketmaster.com, by calling Ticketmaster at 1-800-745-3000 or at any Ticketmaster outlet. Special packages are also available through the Kansas City Wizards and can be purchased by calling 1-888-4KC-GOAL.
Fans can show their support for the bid to bring the World Cup to Kansas City by texting “KansasCity” to 22442 or signing the petition online at www.goUSAbid.com/KC. Kansas City is one of 18 cities still in the running to host matches should the USA bid to host the 2018 or 2022 FIFA World Cup be successful. FIFA will select the host nation for both 2018 and 2022 on December 2, 2010.
Manchester United Star Player Bios
Leading the North American tour is United Captain Gary Neville, England’s most capped right back with 85 appearances, and a fan favorite since joining the team in 2001. Ryan Giggs, a midfielder from Wales, is the Red devils most decorated player, having made more appearances (838) and won more honors that any other player in team history. Scholes has been a staple in the Manchester United midfield since joining the team in 1991. In additional to his 643 club appearances and 149 goals, he has been capped 66 times by the English National Team, having played in two FIFA World Cups.
Darren Fletcher, who has captained the Scottish National Team on several occasions, was selected to the 2009–10 PFA Premier League Team of the Year. Forward Dimitar Berbatov is the all-time leading scorer in the history of the Bulgarian National Team, and a six-time Bulgarian Player of the Year. He has scored 21 goals since joining Manchester United in 2008. The legendary Edwin Van der Sar is the most capped player in the history of the Dutch National Team, and has won the UEFA Champion’s League with two different teams.
Credential Information:
Media members who do not have Kansas City Wizards full-season credentials are required to register for credentials for the Manchester United match by Tuesday, July 13. Credentials are available from Soccer United Marketing through this website.
