One of the world’s most famous sporting teams – Liverpool Football Club – will play an exhibition match at the Adelaide Oval in July, as part of the club’s 2015 pre-season tour.
Liverpool has today confirmed it will play South Australia’s A-League club Adelaide United at the Adelaide Oval on Monday July 20.
Acting Tourism Minister Tom Koutsantonis said it was a big coup for South Australia.
“The State Government has been in negotiations with Liverpool for many months, and reaching an agreement with one of the world’s most popular sporting teams to play at the Adelaide Oval is a great result,” Mr Koutsantonis said.
“The redeveloped Adelaide Oval has already hosted a hugely successful inaugural season of AFL football, a Rolling Stones concert which attracted fans from throughout the world, and on February 15 will host one of the most televised matches in cricket history when India meets Pakistan in one of the most highly anticipated matches of the ICC Cricket World Cup 2015.
Liverpool FC will be the first English Premier League club to visit South Australia since Sheffield United played Adelaide City at Hindmarsh Stadium in 1994. Liverpool will also play a match against A-League club Brisbane Roar in Brisbane during the tour.
Mr Koutsantonis said it was expected Liverpool FC supporters from around Australia and internationally would travel to Adelaide for the match.
“The State Government is committed to securing a range of major events for the Adelaide Oval, which will deliver significant benefits for city hotels, restaurants and bars, and retailers,” he said.
“Such world-class sporting events are huge drawcards, and we also anticipate a global TV audience for the game, so it is the perfect platform to showcase Adelaide to the rest of the world.”
Tom Koutsantonis
Liverpool FC Chief Executive Officer Ian Ayre said Liverpool visited Australia for the first time two years ago and the support received from the club’s Australian fans was incredible.
“Liverpool FC has more than 600,000 supporters in Australia, and we look forward to meeting as many of them as possible while we are in the country,” Mr Ayre said.
Adelaide United Chairman Greg Griffin said playing Liverpool in front of 50,000 fans at the Adelaide Oval and a global TV audience presented a wonderful opportunity to promote the club and football in South Australia.
