Every summer, soccer fans eagerly await the exhibition matches played by international and club teams in the United States, making it a standout event on the soccer calendar.
Excitement is mounting for the upcoming 2023 summer exhibition games, with teams of all sizes and from various leagues around the world planning tours in the US. The English Premier League, Spanish La Liga, Italian Serie A, and other renowned clubs will be gracing American soil.
The Summer friendly games of 2023 will take place from July 8 to August 5, offering a delightful soccer spectacle to American fans. These matches may not have any significant stakes, but they allow teams to showcase their skills and compete for international bragging rights.
From July 8 to July 21, fixtures will include games between Colombian clubs Millonarios and Atlético Nacional, United Soccer League (USL) teams, and Welsh club Wrexham AFC, owned by Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney.
Following these matches, the Soccer Champions Tour, consisting of eight games, will kick off on July 22 and conclude on August 2. The tour will visit cities such as Dallas, Houston, Las Vegas, Los Angeles, Orlando, and San Francisco.
Among the highly anticipated games in this series are the renowned El Clásico (Real Madrid vs. Barcelona), clashes between Juventus and AC Milan, Atletico Madrid and Sevilla, Arsenal and Manchester United rivalries, two London derbies (Fulham vs. Brentford and Chelsea vs. Fulham), as well as UEFA battles such as Chelsea vs. Borussia Dortmund, Real Madrid vs. AC Milan, Real Madrid vs. Manchester United, Real Madrid vs. Juventus, Arsenal vs. Barcelona, Manchester United vs. Borussia Dortmund, and AC Milan vs. Barcelona.
There will be some rule changes for these friendly fixtures. Notably, there will be no limit on substitutions. Teams, especially those from outside Europe, desire to rotate players and provide everyone with a chance to participate in preseason action. Additionally, games may not end in draws. For instance, the MLS All-Star Game will proceed to penalties if the score remains tied, while other friendlies may conclude with a draw, depending on the competition.
Where and How to Watch
If tickets are unavailable, many of these friendlies can still be enjoyed through streaming or televised broadcasts. In the past, the MLS All-Star Games were aired on ESPN or FOX, and now, with Apple holding the MLS streaming rights, the MLS All-Star Game is available through the MLS Season Pass. Other games, including the Wrexham game against Chelsea, may be televised, possibly on one of the ESPN channels due to Wrexham's association with Disney.
Where to Buy Tickets
Possible TV Telecasts and Streaming Sites
TV: ESPN, Apple TV, Fox Sports 1, ViX, TUDN USA, Universo, UNIVERSO NOW
Streaming: fuboTV, MLS Pass on Apple TV, Peacock Premium, Paramount, Disney, ESPN+, ViX+, Fox Sports App, FoxSports.com, TUDN App, TUDN.com, Star+
*Watch soccer LIVE with fuboTV (click for a free trial)*
2023 Summer Friendly Games
Saturday, July 8
Millonarios vs Atletico Nacional; in Ft. Lauderdale, FL; 7:30PM
Saturday, July 15
San Antonio vs Sunderland; 9PM
Wednesday, July 19
MLS All-Star Team vs Arsenal, in Washington DC; 8:30PM
Chelsea vs Wrexham AFC, in Chapel Hill, NC; 7PM
New Mexico United vs Sunderland; 9PM
Friday, July 21
North Carolina FC vs Sunderland; 7PM
Saturday, July 22
Manchester United vs Arsenal, in E. Rutherford, NJ; 5PM
Chelsea vs Brighton, in Philadelphia, PA; 7PM
LA Galaxy II vs Wrexham, in Carson, CA; 4:30PM
Barcelona vs Juventus, in Santa Clara, CA; TBD
Sunday, July 23
Fulham vs Brentford, in Philadelphia, PA; 4PM
Newcastle vs Aston Villa, in Philadelphia, PA; 7PM
Real Madrid vs AC Milan, in Pasadena, CA; TBD
Tuesday, July 25
Man Utd Academy vs Wrexham AFC, in San Diego, CA; 4:30PM
Wednesday, July 26
Brentford vs Brighton, in Atlanta, GA; 5:30PM
Fulham vs Aston Villa, in Orlando, FL; 7PM
Crystal Palace vs Millonarios, in Chicago, IL; 8PM
Chelsea vs Newcastle, in Atlanta, GA; 8:15PM
Real Madrid vs Man United, in Houston, TX; TBD
Arsenal vs Barcelona, in Inglewood, CA; TBD
Thursday, July 27
Juventus vs AC Milan, in Carson, CA; TBD
San Diego Loyal vs Dortmund: 4:30PM
Friday, July 28
Brighton vs Newcastle, in Harrison, NJ; 7:30PM
Philadelphia Union II vs Wrexham, in Chester, PA; 7:30PM
Saturday, July 29
Real Madrid vs Barcelona, in Arlington, TX; TBD
Sunday, July 30
Aston Villa vs Brentford, in Landover, MD; 12PM
Chelsea vs Fulham, in Landover, MD; 2:45PM
Crystal Palace vs Sevilla, in Detroit, MI; 7PM
Manchester United vs Dortmund, in Las Vegas, NV; 8PM
Tuesday, August 1
AC Milan vs Barcelona, in Las Vegas, NV; TBD
Wednesday, August 2
Chelsea vs Dortmund, in Chicago, IL; 8:30PM
Juventus vs Real Madrid, in Orlando, FL; TBD
Saturday, August 5
Atletico Madrid vs Sevilla, in San Francisco, CA; 4PM
Real Sociedad vs Real Betis, in San Francisco, CA: 7PM