The U.S. Men’s National Team will host Belgium for the first time when the teams meet May 29 at FirstEnergy Stadium in Cleveland, Ohio . Kickoff is set for 8 p.m. ET, and the match will be broadcast live on ESPN2 and WatchESPN. Fans can also follow on ussoccer.com’s MatchTracker and on Twitter @ussoccer.
Tickets go on sale to the public Tuesday, March 19, at 10 a.m. ET through ussoccer.com, by phone at 1-800-745-3000 and at all Ticketmaster ticket centers throughout metro Cleveland (including many Giant Eagle locations), as well as the FirstEnergy Stadium ticket office (open Monday-Friday 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.).
Groups of 20 or more can obtain an order form at ussoccer.com or call 312-528-1290. Ultimate Fan Tickets (special VIP packages that include a premium ticket, a custom-made official U.S. National Team jersey with name and number, VIP access to the field before and after the game, and other unique benefits) are also available exclusively through ussoccer.com.
As a sponsor of U.S. Soccer, Visa is pleased to offer all Visa cardholders access to an advance ticket sale for this match before the sale to the general public. This advance sale starts Monday, March 18, at 10 a.m. ET and runs until Tuesday, March 19, at 8 a.m. ET at ussoccer.com. Visa will be the only payment method accepted through the Visa presale and is the preferred card of U.S. Soccer. Terms and conditions apply.
“Belgium is definitely a team on the rise,” said U.S. head coach Jurgen Klinsmann. “If you look at their roster, they have quality players from top to bottom who are on some of the biggest clubs in Europe. It’s a big opportunity for us and a great way to start the summer as we prepare for the World Cup qualifiers.”
The previous four meetings against Belgium have been on foreign soil. Playing in its first World Cup match ever, the U.S. collected a 3-0 victory against Belgium on July 13, 1930, in Montevideo, Uruguay. The other three encounters took place in Belgium, where the U.S. has failed to score. Overall, the Belgians hold a 3-1-0 advantage in the series. In the last meeting, a disallowed goal by Maurice Edu in the 86th minute left the U.S. with a 1-0 loss in rainy conditions on Sept. 6, 2011, in the third match coached by Jurgen Klinsmann.
Currently ranked No. 19 in the FIFA World Rankings, the Belgians are in first place in Group A of UEFA qualifying for the 2014 FIFA World Cup. The Red Devils boast an array of talent plying their trade in top teams across Europe, including Everton midfielder Marouane Fellaini (club teammate of U.S. goalkeeper Tim Howard), Manchester City defender Vincent Kompany and Chelsea striker Eden Hazard.
The city of Cleveland will play host to the U.S. Men’s National Team for the third time. In its only other visit against national team opposition, the U.S. defeated Venezuela 2-0 in the second match of the Send-Off Series for the 2006 FIFA World Cup. On that day, a young Michael Bradley earned his first cap for the Senior National Team. Twelve years earlier, the USA made its first Cleveland appearance when facing German Bundesliga powerhouse Bayern Munich, losing 3-2 at the old Municipal Stadium on May 21, 1994.
The match against Belgium kicks off a packed summer for the National Team, which will play in three FIFA World Cup qualifiers in June and the CONCACAF Gold Cup in July. In addition, U.S. Soccer is celebrating its 100-year Anniversary and will be hosting a number of events throughout the year.
