Liverpool, Real Betis to Play in Pittsburgh on July 26

Premier League heavyweight Liverpool will play LaLiga club Real Betis at Acrisure Stadium in the Iron City Showdown on July 26 in Pittsburgh.

These two teams have not faced each other since the 2005 group stage of the UEFA Champions League. Entering the weekend, Liverpool is tied for first on points with Arsenal atop the Premier League standings. Real Betis is eighth in LaLiga. This will also be the first time that both clubs play in Pittsburgh. SportsPittsburgh and Acrisure Stadium are partnering with promoter TEG Sport on the event.

Liverpool has won 19 domestic league titles, eight FA Cups and six European Cups. Liverpool previously announced it would play Arsenal on July 31 in Philadelphia at Lincoln Financial Field before playing Manchester United on August 3 at Williams-Brice Stadium in Columbia, South Carolina.

“Adding Pittsburgh to our preseason tour schedule is a great way to start our eagerly anticipated return to the USA,” said Ben Latty, Liverpool’s commercial director. “We were delighted to quickly sell out our fixtures against Arsenal and Manchester United on this tour and are equally excited to be able to offer our supporters in the States another opportunity to see Liverpool F.C. play. Real Betis will come with a strong squad and it’s going to be a great occasion in another iconic setting, in another fantastic U.S. city.”

Real Betis, founded in 1907, is based in Seville and is the three-time winner of the Copa Del Rey, most recently in 2022. Spanish star Isco and World Cup champions Nabil Fekir, German Pezzella and Guido Rodriguez headline the Real Betis squad, alongside American midfielder Johnny Cardoso, who plays for the U.S. National Team.

“This game excites us for a set of different reasons,” said Real Betis Chief Executive Officer Ramon Alarcon. “Playing against a great club like Liverpool F.C. is a chance for us to measure our potential. This match brings back memories of our debut in the UEFA Champions League during the 2005/2006 season and the amazing atmosphere we experienced both at the Benito Villamarin Stadium and Anfield Stadium. Additionally, both clubs share common values and a wide fan base with a strong feeling towards our colors. It will be nice to meet again in Pittsburgh after 19 years.”

Real Betis took part in a LaLiga Summer Tour last year in North America, playing games against Sevilla in Guadalajara as well as against Real Sociedad at Oracle Park in San Francisco.

“We couldn’t be more thrilled to be bringing Liverpool F.C. and Real Betis to the Three Rivers fans for a historic night of world-class soccer,” said Geoff Jones, chief executive officer of TEG. “We have been overwhelmed by the response to matches in so many great soccer markets across the country, with sellouts in Columbia and Philadelphia, and we are expecting the same type of response in one of the fastest growing soccer fanbases in the U.S. in Pittsburgh.”