Arsenal will travel to Avaya Stadium in San Jose to play against the MLS All-Stars this summer.
Major League Soccer made the announcement at a press conference on Thursday that Arsenal will be the seventh different English team to play the MLS All-Stars. The game will take place on July 28.
Avaya Stadium is the home of the San Jose Earthquakes which opened in 2015. The Chicago Fire played the first official match there in the Earthquakes’ home opener on March 22. San Jose won 2-1.
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“We’re thrilled to be able to welcome Arsenal this summer for a number of reasons,” said Mark Abbott, President and Deputy Commissioner of MLS, at the press conference. “Not only are they one of the top clubs in the world and it continues our tradition of having high level competition for the AT&T MLS All-Star Game, but there are a number of deep connections between Arsenal and our league.”
Abbott mentioned Arsenal owner Stan Kroenke also owns the Colorado Rapids, Arsenal CEO Ivan Gazidis was once the deputy commissioner of MLS and Arsenal greats Freddie Ljungberg and Thierry Henry also played in MLS.
Last year the MLS All-Stars beat Tottenham, Arsenal’s biggest rival, 2-1 at Dick’s Sporting Goods Park, home of the Rapids. Arsenal last played in the U.S. in 2014 when the club played the New York Red Bulls.
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San Jose last hosted the MLS All-Star Game in 2001 when the game was still played with the East vs. West format.