SINGAPORE: Singapore have emerged as the one and only host in the Asian continent for the 2018 International Champions Cup (ICC) which will add to the football fever that just keeps growing not just in the island state but across the continent where football enjoys strong and fervent following.
With 2016/2017 English Premier League champions Chelsea, newly crowned Bundesliga champions Bayern Munich, and Serie A giants Inter Milan featuring in the previous edition, now comes the turn of three other top, reputable clubs to compete for the cup this time round.
The three teams that will feature are newly crowned Ligue1 champions Paris St Germain (PSG), Thirteen time English FA Cup champions Arsenal, and La Liga giants Atletico Madrid, and these three big clubs from Europe’s top footballing leagues will take to the field at Singapore’s National Stadium come July 26, 28 and 30.
These three teams will join another 15 top, European clubs who will also compete in the ICC that take place in the United States and Europe with a more competitive championship format which has the coveted overall champion title up for grabs and bragging rights.
Catalyst Media Group (CMG) chairman and president, Patrick Murphy said that the tremendous reception received last year was so amazing that they decided to press on in giving such a unique footballing experience to the fans in the country as well as the surrounding region.
“With the Singapore being the sole destination this year, we are committed to bring and deliver the best quality football to the supporters of the three teams that will be competing this year.
“For sure the opportunity to witness some of the world’s top teams first hand is a worthwhile experience, so we hope that the fans are able to enjoy such a unique experience.
“We have been working together with the Singapore Tourism Board to extend and develop such an exclusive footballing experience not just for football fans in Singapore but across Asia as well,” he said during a press conference held here in Singapore earlier today (Tuesday).
Also present were former Arsenal winger and France World Cup winner, Robert Pires, Atletico Madrid legend Jose Luis Perez, and former PSG leftback Maxwell.
The opener for the ICC will be a repeat of the Europa League semi-final between Arsenal and Atletico Madrid, with the match expected to offer the side that loses the Europa League encounter the chance to exact revenge.
The second match will be a repeat of the 2016-2017 Champions League group stage match between Arsenal and PSG, with three of the previous four encounters between the two sides ending in draws.
The last match will be a much awaited clash between French champions PSG and Diego Simeone’s Atletico.