Florida Cup Announces Participating Clubs and Dates for 2021 Event
ORLANDO – The lineup for the 2021 Florida Cup is complete, with Arsenal FC, Everton FC, Inter Milan and Millonarios FC set to take the pitch for a pair of double-headers at Camping World Stadium July 25 and 28. Single-day and two-day presale packages will be available to past Florida Cup purchasers and other select groups at FloridaCup.com beginning Wednesday, June 2, at 11 a.m. ET. Tickets go on sale to the general public at 10 a.m. ET on Thursday, June 3.
The first night of action — Sunday, July 25 — features an exciting set of matches, including a contest between 2020-21 Serie A champions Inter Milan and 2020 FA Cup winners Arsenal of the English Premier League. The evening's other match will pit historic Everton, also of the Premier League, against Colombian powerhouse Millonarios FC.
The two winners will then meet for the Florida Cup title on Wednesday, July 28, with the remaining two clubs facing off in the night's other match. Single-day tickets for either date include both contests and start at $44 plus taxes and fees. Two-day passes, featuring four top-tier international club matchups, start at $90.
Match start times, broadcast information and details regarding other ancillary Florida Cup events will be announced in due course. Media assets, including event, stadium and team logos, can be found on the Florida Citrus Sports media FTP site.
"The dates have changed, but the Florida Cup's essence remains, and 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."
Inter Milan enters the Florida Cup having won Italy’s top league for the first time since 2010. Overall, Inter have won 19 Serie A titles, including five straight championships for the Nerazzurri from 2006-10. Arsenal have won four of the past eight FA Cups in addition to 13 top flight titles.
The last meetings between Inter and Arsenal came in 2003, when the sides met in the UEFA Champions League Group Stage. Both matches were high scoring affairs with Inter winning 3-0 in London and Arsenal winning 5-1 in Milan.
Everton, meanwhile, have spent more seasons (118) in England’s top division than any other club and have won the Premier League nine times. The Toffees have also won five FA Cups, and the current roster features a pair of beloved Colombian stars in midfielder James Rodriguez and defender Yerry Mina.
Millonarios FC, based in Bogota, are one of Colombia’s most successful and historic clubs and have won the top Colombian league, Categoría Primera A, 15 times. In 2018, Millonarios also defeated Atlético Nacional 2-1 on aggregate to win the Superliga Colombiana title, the club’s most recent major championship.
"The Florida Cup represents an important milestone for Florida Citrus Sports and will play a huge role in helping us grow our impact throughout the Central Florida region," Florida Citrus Sports CEO Steve Hogan said. "We are thrilled to welcome these powerful global brands and their legions of passionate fans to Orlando as we build on the city's history as a major international soccer destination and embark on this new, exciting challenge."
Camping World Stadium has played host to several major top-tier international soccer events since the addition of the venue’s upper decks in 1990. That run includes five matches during the 1994 FIFA World Cup and a total of nine men’s and women’s matches during the 1996 Olympic Games. Camping World Stadium is also currently a candidate to host games during the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
The facility hosted three matches during Copa América Centenario in June 2016, and in 2017, Florida Citrus Sports partnered with the International Champions Cup to bring Paris Saint-German FC and Tottenham Hotspur to Orlando for an exhibition. Orlando City SC of MLS played its home matches at Camping World Stadium from 2013-16.
Longtime Florida Cup supporter Universal Orlando Resort returns as a major partner in 2021 and will welcome participating teams, select media and traveling fans throughout the event at Universal’s three epic theme parks - Universal Studios Florida, Universal's Islands of Adventure and Universal's Volcano Bay - and its extraordinary resorts collection.
A pair of original Florida Cup partners, Adidas and Lennar Homes, will also return this year. AdventHealth joins as the latest Florida Cup partner and will provide medical support to participating clubs throughout the event.
For tickets and additional information regarding the 2021 Florida Cup, visit www.FloridaCup.com.
Mikel Arteta, Manager, Arsenal FC said:
“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 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.”
About Florida Cup
The largest annual international soccer event in the Sunshine State, the Florida Cup is a global platform that combines sports, music and entertainment. In 2020, the event's live attendance exceeded 40,000 people, with an international TV audience reaching over 5 million unique viewers. Across social networks, content posted by official event pages and shared worldwide reached more than 100 million people. For more information on the Florida Cup, visit FloridaCup.com, or follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
About Florida Citrus Sports
Florida Citrus Sports is a not-for-profit event management organization dedicated to positively impacting the Orlando region while enhancing the quality of life in Central Florida through world-class events, including the Vrbo Citrus Bowl, the Cheez-It Bowl, the Florida Blue Florida Classic, the Florida Cup and the Camping World Kickoff. For more information, visit FloridaCitrusSports.com.
About Arsenal FC
Arsenal Football Club was born when a group of workers at Dial Square armaments factory in Woolwich decided to form a football team to break the monotony of factory life.
Since that Dial Square team played its first match against Eastern Wanderers in 1886, Arsenal has gone on to become one of London’s most successful football clubs and one of the most famous names in modern football with millions of passionate followers worldwide.
Steeped in history and tradition, Arsenal Football Club has thrived on a pioneering and innovative spirit that has existed throughout its 133 years in existence. While society and football may have changed during this time, Arsenal has always served to create a sense of community for people in north London, across the UK and around the world.
About Everton FC
One of the 12 Founder Members of the Football League, Everton has spent more seasons in England’s top division than any other Club (118) and been crowned league champions on nine occasions.
Founded in 1878 as St Domingo, the Club has also lifted the FA (Football Association) Cup five times and, in 1985, added the European Cup Winners’ Cup to its prestigious haul.
Throughout its 142-year history Everton has been known as a family-oriented Club based on proud traditions, affectionately referred to as ‘The People’s Club’. Those traditions have also encouraged innovation, ensuring Everton has remained one of the great pioneering Clubs in the history of the game. The first Club to construct a purpose-built football stadium, Goodison Park is one of the most revered stadiums in England. In the coming years the Club will be looking to maintain those traditions in a new 52,888 capacity stadium at Bramley-Moore Dock, ensuring the Club’s roots remain in north Liverpool for generations to come.
As a pioneer, the Club is renowned for many firsts that we take for granted in today’s game. Everton was the first Club to see its players wear shirts numbered 1 to 11, the first Club to go on an overseas tour, the first English Club to install dugouts and undersoil heating, the first Club to feature in a televised match, the first Club to introduce a regular matchday programme, the first Club to present its players with medals for winning the Football League championship and the first Club to have a player, Dixie Dean, break the 60 goals barrier in a single league season.
About Inter Milan
Founded in 1908, FC Internazionale Milano, or Inter, is globally renowned as one of the world's most successful football teams. Chinese group Suning acquired the majority stake of the Club in June 2016.
The year 2021 has seen the Club meet two very important milestones: the unveiling of the new Inter Logo, celebrated by the I M narrative, and the victory of the 19° Scudetto.
The club's trophy haul includes 19 Italian league titles, 7 Coppa Italias, 5 Italian Super Cups, 3 UEFA Cups, 2 European Cups, 1 UEFA Champions League, 2 Intercontinental Cups and 1 FIFA Club World Cup. Inter is one of the seven teams to have done the treble – Champions League, national championship and national cup – in the same year (2010), and the only Italian club never to have been relegated in its 113-year history. Inter is a global brand with more than 400 million followers worldwide.
About Millonarios FC
Millonarios FC is one of the most important soccer teams in South America and one of the most representative of Colombian soccer. With 15 local titles he is one of the most winning clubs in his country. It was also recognized in the 1950s as one of the best teams in the world since it had the legendary player Alfredo D`Stefano on its squad.
About Universal Orlando Resort
For more than 30 years, Universal Orlando has immersed guests in amazing moments. Across the award-winning destination, they can let go and live in the moment with those they care about most as they embark on incredible theme park adventures, like causing mischief with the Minions from Illumination’s “Despicable Me,” coming face-to-face with ferocious dinosaurs in Jurassic Park, walking the corridors of Hogwarts castle in The Wizarding World of Harry Potter and so much more.
Universal Orlando is home to three epic theme parks that feature some of the world’s most exciting and innovative experiences, including Universal’s Islands of Adventure – named the #1 Amusement Park in the World for five years in a row by TripAdvisor Travelers’ Choice; Universal Studios Florida – home to the most technologically-advanced stunt show yet, The Bourne Stuntacular; and Universal’s Volcano Bay - a tropical oasis like no other that features an actual beach right in the middle of Orlando.
Universal Orlando’s hotels are destinations unto themselves and include Loews Portofino Bay Hotel, Hard Rock Hotel, Loews Royal Pacific Resort, Loews Sapphire Falls Resort, Universal’s Cabana Bay Beach Resort, Universal’s Aventura Hotel, and Universal’s Endless Summer Resort – Dockside Inn and Suites & Surfside Inn and Suites. And Universal’s entertainment complex, Universal CityWalk, offers immersive dining and entertainment for every member of the family.
