The FIFA 2026 World Cup™ candidate city of Orlando will play host to some of the biggest names in international soccerfollowing the announcement of a series of world class matches to be hosted in the city.
Orlando’s Camping World Stadium has been chosen as the venue for the 2021 Florida Cup, featuring the 2020 FA Cup winners Arsenal, Everton from the English Premier League, this year’s Italian Serie A champions Inter Milan, alongside Millonarios FC from Colombia.
“We are so happy to be able to bring such a powerful international lineup to Orlando as we connect Europe and South America once again at this summer’s event," Florida Cup CEO Ricardo Villar said. "We look forward to delivering an outstanding training experience for our participating clubs, while also providing an exciting week of action and entertainment to local fans and club supporters in Central Florida for the festivities.”
The festival of football will take place on July 25 and 28, and tickets are now on sale to the public at www.FloridaCup.com.
The news adds to the buzz around Orlando’s ‘Summer of Soccer,’ which also sees the city playing host to international matches of the prestigious CONCACAF Gold Cup, also in July.
“It’s turning into an incredible year for soccer in Orlando,” said Jason Siegel, President & CEO of the Greater Orlando Sports Commission. “We are pleased and proud that event organizers - including CONCACAF, US Soccer and Florida Cup - are recognizing this and putting their trust in us. Our community will deliver a great experience for players and fans alike.”
Mikel Arteta, the ManagerofArsenal FC praised the choice of venue: “We’re very pleased to see our pre-season plans ramping up with the announcement of our trip to the United States to take part in the Florida Cup. The tournament features three good sides that will provide strong opposition, and the training and matchday facilities in Orlando will provide a first-class environment for our preparations for next season.”
Giuseppe Marotta, CEO Sport, FC Internazionale Milano said: “We couldn’t’t be happier to add a pair of Florida Cup fixtures to our training schedule as we continue our Scudetto celebrations in the U.S. along with our first team. The entire club is excited for the upcoming trip to Orlando for a challenging pair of matches, and the organization is eager for the opportunity to celebrate alongside our many American supporters.”
Enrique Camacho, President, Millonarios FC said: “We are incredibly excited to play in this year’s Florida Cup alongside three of Europe’s most recognizable and accomplished teams, including Everton and stars James Rodriguez and Yerry Mina. It is a fitting challenge and a momentous occasion as we celebrate 75 years of history in Colombia, and we are hungry to compete in front of our fans in Orlando.”
Orlando has established itself as the go-to region for topflight soccer during the recent Covid pandemic, where 24 MLS teams were able to meet and compete safely, completing 51 matches in 34 days at ESPN Wide World of Sports.
As spectators return to live sporting events, Orlando has been awarded six matches of the 2021 Concacaf Gold Cup, to be played as three double-headers on July 12, 16 and 20 in Orlando’s Exploria Stadium, home of Orlando City SC and Orlando Pride.
There were more than 40 bids from major markets across the United States interested in hosting the region’s most prestigious soccer tournament. Orlando is one of only seven cities selected.
About the Greater Orlando 2026 (GO26) Bid Committee:
The Greater Orlando Sports Commission, City of Orlando, Orange County and Orlando City Soccer Club have assembled a team of 450+ community leaders from public and private sectors working hand-in-hand with the goal of bringing the 2026 FIFA World Cup™ to Orlando.
Greater Orlando takes a regional approach to executing high-profile events and forms host committees for each of the city’s marquee events, dating back to the 1994 FIFA World Cup. The organization determines how best to use the city’s collective resources and creates a strategic plan to deliver epic athlete and fan experiences.
The GO26 Bid Committee is broken into 11 topic-specific sub committees including events/operations, special events, marketing/public relations, finance/administration, legal, youth/grassroots, accommodations, human rights, public safety/security, sustainability, and fan fests. For more information, visit www.Orlando2026.com.
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