The EPL is officially coming to Ohio Stadium.
Ohio State and the Columbus Crew announced Tuesday that Manchester City and Chelsea will play an exhibition match against each other at the Shoe on Aug. 3.
The Summer of Soccer in Columbus just got even more Massive
— The Crew (@ColumbusCrew) March 19, 2024
The Crew, @OhioState and @ColumbusSports will welcome the reigning Champions League winners Manchester City and two-time UCL winners Chelsea to Ohio Stadium on Saturday, August 3.
The match will be the second international soccer match held at Ohio Stadium. The Shoe previously hosted an exhibition between Spain’s Real Madrid and France’s Paris Saint-Germain in 2016, drawing a crowd of 86,641 fans to Ohio Stadium. At a press conference on Tuesday, Ohio State athletic director Gene Smith said he expects the attendance for the Manchester City vs. Chelsea match to “blow that out of the water.”
The Shoe also served as the home of the Columbus Crew for its first three seasons from 1996-98.
Manchester City vs. Chelsea will be the first of two professional sporting events held at the home of Ohio State football over the next 12 months. Ohio Stadium will host an NHL regular-season game between the Columbus Blue Jackets and the Detroit Red Wings on March 1, 2025.
The friendly between Chelsea and Manchester City will bring two of the biggest brands in professional soccer to Columbus. Manchester City has been the dominant team in the English Premier League over the past six years, winning five of the last six EPL titles including each of the last three. Chelsea is a six-time EPL champion, winning its most recent title in the 2016-17 season.
“This matchup truly puts Columbus on the international stage drawing fans from all over the United States and beyond,” Ohio State athletics vice president/chief operating officer Xen Riggs said in a statement. “Our collaborations and partnerships across Columbus and the investments that have been made continue to pay back strong dividends. Thanks to all of our community partners for this amazing effort. The Ohio State University and iconic Ohio Stadium are proud of the international destination we have become.”
Tickets for the match will go on sale next Wednesday, March 27, at 10 a.m. More details about the match can be found on the FC Series’ official website.
