Int'l Champions Cup Underway; Charlotte Match Draws 55,000

The sixth annual Int'l Champions Cup got underway this weekend with games in Austria, Chicago and Charlotte. A crowd of 55,447 was on hand at Bank of America Stadium yesterday as Dortmund topped Liverpool, and Dortmund's U.S. star F Christian Pulisic "almost single-handedly accounted for three Dortmund goals" (CHARLOTTE OBSERVER, 7/23). BofA Stadium was "not as crowded" as it is for a "typical Panthers home game." But almost the "entire lower bowl was filled with a mix of red and yellow jerseys," with a "slight advantage to the Liverpool fans" (CHARLOTTE OBSERVER, 7/23). An announced 34,629 fans attended Friday's Manchester City-Dortmund match at Soldier Field. Pulisic was the "biggest attraction for the local crowd." ICC matches continue Wednesday (CHICAGO TRIBUNE, 7/21).

Meanwhile, Manchester United as part of its exhibition tour played the Earthquakes at Levi's Stadium before an "announced crowd of 32,549." The EPL club had about a "dozen stars on holiday after the World Cup" (San Jose MERCURY NEWS, 7/23).

Very small crowd here in Santa Clara. San Jose’s own 18,000 seater stadium, where MUFC played in 2015, would surely have been better. pic.twitter.com/zQfLNzcOoA

— Andy Mitten (@AndyMitten) July 22, 2018