The English Premier League is coming to Atlanta and will feature two of the world’s biggest clubs, one of which has ties to Atlanta United.
Newcastle, led by former Atlanta United President Darren Eales and featuring standout player Miggy Almiron, who helped the Five Stripes win the MLS Cup in 2018, will play Chelsea, a six-time Premier League champion, in a friendly at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in the second game of a doubleheader July 26.
The first game will feature Brighton versus Brentford, two mid-table teams that have exciting styles.
It will be the first time Premier League teams have played each other in Atlanta. Manchester City played a friendly against Club America at the Georgia Dome in 2010.
Grass will be put down on the artificial surface at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. Rosters have not yet been set for the games.
Atlanta United season-ticket holders and PSL holders for the Falcons will receive ticket information about the game Tuesday. Others can go to www.premierleague.com/SummerSeries for more information.
Eales was Atlanta United’s first president and helped establish a franchise that holds numerous MLS attendance records, as well as won three trophies.
Almiron was sold by Atlanta United to Newcastle following the 2018 MLS season. Almiron made 62 appearances in regular-season games for the club and scored 21 goals with 28 assists. He added a goal and two assists in six playoff appearances. In 135 appearances for the Magpies, Almiron has 20 goals and four assists.
Newcastle is in third place in the EPL with nine games remaining.
Chelsea is one of the world’s richest clubs and features U.S. standout Christian Pulisic, as well as star players Enzo Fernandez, who helped Argentina win the World Cup, England’s Raheem Sterling and Reece James, among a locker room full of world-class players.
Chelsea, a two-time Champions League winner, is in 11th place in the EPL with eight games remaining.
Atlanta United President Garth Lagerwey, who replaced Eales, said earlier this year that there may be teams from the Premier League coming to Atlanta.
Brighton is in seventh and Brentford ninth in the EPL. Brighton features Moises Caicedo, a player Atlanta United once reportedly was interested in signing.
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