ICC 2017: FIXTURES, TEAMS, TV & GUIDE TO THE INTERNATIONAL CHAMPIONS CUP
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ICC 2017: FIXTURES, TEAMS, TV & GUIDE TO THE INTERNATIONAL CHAMPIONS CUP
ICC 2017: FIXTURES, TEAMS, TV & GUIDE TO THE INTERNATIONAL CHAMPIONS CUP
The fifth edition of the International Champions Cup has been taking place around the world, with many of European football's top clubs once again signed up to take part.
With a footprint in both Asia and the United States, the pre-season tournament has tapped in to the huge
fanbases that exist for those teams outside of their local markets.
It has drawn huge crowds and sees the clubs involved pocket significant appearance fees - rumoured to be worth up to $20 million - in addition to the longer-term commercial benefits of engaging with supporters across the globe.
The downside is the amount of travel involved, with many Premier League managers bemoaning their inability to hold a more focused training camp in one location due to their new international commitments.
With the ICC getting underway, here is everything you need to know about the latest competition.
WHAT IS THE ICC?
The International Champions Cup is a pre-season tournament that has been held every summer since 2013. For the past two years, the ICC has been split into three different regions; the United States, China and Australia. In the two years prior to that, it was held exclusively in the USA.
This year, Australia has been replaced by Singapore. China and Singapore will host seven games in total, while the USA section has 12 games on the schedule.
Bayern Munich and Inter will play in both the China and Singapore tournaments but all three are unrelated, with a separate 'champion' emerging from each one. In reality, those league tables mean very little as not all teams will play each other and some will play more games than others.
In short, the ICC is a series of exhibition matches in three countries played in large stadiums. It begins on July 18 and ends on July 30, getting everyone back in Europe by the start of August as the competitive campaign looms.
WHO ARE THE TEAMS IN THE ICC 2017?
| United States | China | Singapore |
|---|---|---|
| Paris Saint-Germain | Milan | Inter |
| Barcelona | Inter | Bayern Munich |
| Real Madrid | Bayern Munich | Chelsea |
| Manchester City | Borussia Dortmund | |
| Manchester United | Arsenal | |
| Tottenham | Lyon | |
| Roma | ||
| Juventus |
Roma, Lyon and Arsenal are the only teams entering the competition this year who were not involved in 2016, while Atletico Madrid, Celtic, Liverpool and Leicester City - as well as Melbourne Victory, who played on home turf in last year's Australian section - drop out.
Having played in Asia or Australia last year, Tottenham, Juventus and both Manchester clubs will visit the United States this summer while Chelsea, Bayern Munich and the two Milan sides will switch over to Asia.
WHICH PLAYERS WILL BE AT THE ICC 2017?
The ICC forms the bulk of most of the participating clubs' pre-season schedules, and as a result you can expect to see some of the world's biggest players take to the pitch.
The most notable absence, however, will be Cristiano Ronaldo. The Ballon d'Or holder has not travelled to the United States with Real Madrid and is not expected to play any part this year having featured at the Confederations Cup and then welcomed newborn twins into his family.
Neymar, Luis Suarez and a newly married Lionel Messi are all in Barcelona's squad, however, while Alvaro Morata was on Madrid's flight across the Atlantic despite speculation linking him with a summer transfer.
Germany goalkeeper Marc-Andre ter Stegen, like Ronaldo, played at the Confederations Cup and has been given an extended break by Barca. It has not yet been confirmed whether the same will apply to new signing Nelson Semedo, who featured for Portugal.
Manchester United, meanwhile, will have new signings Romelu Lukaku and Victor Lindelof to show off. Lukaku was holidaying in America with Paul Pogba and joined up with the rest of his new team-mates once his move from Everton was confirmed.
By turning down Manchester City in favour of Paris Saint-Germain, Dani Alves has set up a swift reunion with former club Juventus in Miami on July 26.
ICC 2017 FIXTURES
Due to the time difference between the USA and UK, many of the games played across the Atlantic Ocean will kick-off late at night in Britain or even in the early hours of the following morning.
Both local and UK times are listed below. Manchester United against Manchester City, for instance, will be played at 20:30 local time in Houston on July 20, which makes for a 02:30 start on the morning of July 21 in the UK.
United States:
| Date | Match | Time (local / BST) | Venue |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jul 19 | Roma 1-1 (3-5 pens) PSG | 19:00 / 00:00 | Comerica Park, Detroit |
| Jul 20 | Man Utd 2-0 Man City | 20:30 / 02:30 | NRG Stadium, Houston |
| Jul 22 | Barcelona 2-1 Juventus | 18:00 / 23:00 | MetLife Stadium, East Rutherford |
| Jul 22 | Tottenham 4-2 PSG | 20:00 / 01:00 | Camping World Stadium, Orlando |
| Jul 23 | Real Madrid 1-1 (1-2 pens) Man Utd | 14:00 / 22:00 | Levi's Stadium, Santa Clara |
| Jul 25 | Tottenham 2-3 Roma | 20:00 / 01:00 | Red Bull Arena, Harrison |
| Jul 26 | Barcelona 1-0 Man Utd | 19:30 / 00:30 | FedEx Field, Landover |
| Jul 26 | PSG 2-3 Juventus | 20:30 / 01:30 | Hard Rock Stadium, Miami Gardens |
| Jul 26 | Real Madrid 1-4 Man City | 20:00 / 04:00 | Memorial Coliseum, Los Angeles |
| Jul 29 | Tottenham vs Man City | 17:00 / 23:00 | Nissan Stadium, Nashville |
| Jul 29 | Real Madrid vs Barcelona | 19:30 / 00:30 | Hard Rock Stadium, Miami Gardens |
| Jul 30 | Roma vs Juventus | 16:00 / 21:00 | Gillette Stadium, Foxborough |
China:
| Date | Match | Time (local / BST) | Venue |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jul 18 | Milan 1-3 Borussia Dortmund | 19:20 / 12:20 | University Town Centre, Guangzhou |
| Jul 19 | Bayern Munich 1-1 (2-3 pens) Arsenal | 19:20 / 12:20 | Shanghai Stadium, Shanghai |
| Jul 22 | Bayern Munich 0-4 Milan | 17:35 / 10:35 | Shenzhen Universiade Sports Centre, Shenzhen |
| Jul 24 | Inter 1-0 Lyon | 20:05 / 13:05 | Nanjing Olympic Sports Centre, Nanjing |
Singapore:
| Date | Match | Time (local / BST) | Venue |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jul 25 | Chelsea 2-3 Bayern Munich | 20:35 / 13:35 | National Stadium, Singapore |
| Jul 27 | Bayern Munich 0-2 Inter | 21:35 / 14:35 | National Stadium, Singapore |
| Jul 29 | Chelsea vs Inter | 19:35 / 12:35 | National Stadium, Singapore |
HOW CAN I BUY ICC TICKETS?
Links to the official ticket sales for each match can be found through the official International Champions Cup website . Prices vary depending on the fixture, with the cheapest seats for the Clasico in Miami between Real Madrid and Barcelona costing $250 (£194) but tickets available for as little as $25 (£19) for Roma against Paris Saint-Germain in Detroit.
WHAT ARE THE ICC VENUES?
Comerica Park (Detroit, Michigan):
NRG Stadium (Houston, Texas):
MetLife Stadium (East Rutherford, New Jersey):
Camping World Stadium (Orlando, Florida):
Levi's Stadium (Santa Clara, California):
Red Bull Arena (Harrison, New Jersey):
FedEx Field (Landover, Maryland):
Hard Rock Stadium (Miami Gardens, Florida):
Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum (Los Angeles, California):
Nissan Stadium (Nashville, Tennessee):
Gillette Stadium (Foxborough, Massachussetts):
Tianhe Stadium (Guangzhou, China):
Shanghai Stadium (Shanghai, China):
Nanjing Olympic Sports Centre (Nanjing, China):
National Stadium (Singapore):
WHO WON THE ICC LAST YEAR?
The ICC has one winner in each location, but the 2016 International Champions Cup only had winners in two of the three regions due to the fact that the game in China between Manchester City and Manchester United was cancelled.
Juventus were the 2016 ICC Australia champions due to the fact they picked up an extra point for their penalty shootout defeat to Melbourne Victory, and therefore edged out Atletico Madrid for top spot.
A perfect record of three wins from three games meant that PSG were the 2016 ICC United States and Europe champions with nine points, finishing ahead of Liverpool, Chelsea, Barcelona and Real Madrid, who all won two of their games. Celtic finished bottom of the United States and Europe table with one point from their penalty shootout defeat to Leicester.
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