TUKWILA, Wash. (AP) — The Seattle Sounders will host English Premier League power Chelsea FC in a friendly on July 18.
The Sounders announced the exhibition match on Monday. It’s the second time in three years that the Sounders will host the Blues. Chelsea first faced the Sounders during their inaugural 2009 season, a game Chelsea won 2-0 in front of 65,289.
The match against Chelsea represents Seattle’s only scheduled exhibition for the 2012 season. Chelsea chief executive Ron Gourlay says Seattle is the perfect place for the Blues to being their preseason preparations.
Seattle also announced it will open the entire stadium for the match against Chelsea and three MLS matches: Aug. 5 vs. Los Angeles, Aug. 18 vs. Vancouver and Oct. 7 vs. Portland. Seattle limits its seating capacity to about 38,000 for most MLS matches.
