Walt Disney World Pro Soccer Classic Archives

New York Red Bulls and Toronto FC Bolster

Walt Disney World Pro Soccer Classic Field

Major League Soccer (MLS) teams join MLS Cup Champion Sporting KC, Philadelphia Union, Columbus Crew, Montreal Impact and USL Pro Club Orlando City in the eight-team field at ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex; Final team expected to be announced soon; Tickets on sale today.

The New York Red Bulls and Toronto FC have joined the Walt Disney World Pro Soccer Classic field at ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex.

The Red Bulls are coming back to the February event at Walt Disney World in suburban Orlando after winning the event in 2010, while Toronto FC has been a regular participant in the event.

The Red Bulls and Toronto FC join Sporting KC, Philadelphia Union, Columbus Crew, Montreal Impact and Orlando City soccer clubs in the eight-team field. Teams will begin arriving in Central Florida on Feb. 19 for three weeks of pre-season training camp and competition, culminating with the Disney Pro Soccer Classic title game on Mar. 1.

In 2013, the New York Red Bulls won their first MLS Supporters’ Shield, given to the team with the most regular season points in the league. Led by international standouts Thierry Henry and Tim Cahill, along with Winter Park, FL native Dax McCarty, the Red Bulls have qualified for the MLS Cup playoffs 10 of the last 11 seasons.

Toronto FC is looking to rebuild this season under second-year head coach Ryan Nelsen. Toronto FC is led by forward Robert Earnshaw, who scored eight goals last season.

Entering its fifth year, the Disney Pro Soccer Classic is designed to boost interest in soccer throughout Central Florida and establish the area as a prime training and competition destination for pro soccer clubs. Last year, the event at Disney attracted fans from across the U.S. and Canada and gave them a unique opportunity for an intimate fan experience at a world-class facility.

The tournament is just one of more than a dozen popular soccer events held annually at ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex, which is the leading multi-sports venue in the nation and the official preseason training home of the AS Roma soccer club.

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lAfeGo3Rl08

For more information on the Disney Pro Soccer Classic, visit www.espnwwos.com/prosoccerclassic. Tickets for the event are on sale today through Ticketmaster.com, search “Pro Soccer Classic” or by calling 800-745-3000. Travel packages are available through GetTravel.com. The packages may include accommodations near Walt Disney World Resort, game tickets, ground transportation and discounted Disney theme park tickets.

About ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex

ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex, which hosts more than 350 events a year, is the leading multi-sport venue for amateur and professional sports in the nation, accommodating 70 different sports and athletes from more than 70 countries. Designed to take youth sports to the next level, the 230-acre facility features multiple competition venues, including Champion Stadium, the HP Field House, the Jostens Center, the Hess Sports Fields, a track & field facility, a tennis complex and a baseball/softball sportsplex. It is also home to the ESPN Innovation Lab, a real-world testing ground for the ESPN Emerging Technology Group that develops ground-breaking on-air products like Ball Track and ESPN Snap Zoom. In addition, the complex features 56 high-definition cameras and 40 high-definition video screens, including three jumbo screens, which can capture and display footage from any event taking place at the complex. The camera and video screens, as well as a 20-zone audio system, are controlled through the state-of-the-art HD production center with direct links to ESPN facilities in Bristol, Conn., New York and Los Angeles. For more information, visit www.disneysportsnews.com for press releases, photos and videos.

Orlando City and Defending Champion Montreal Impact Return for Walt Disney World Pro Soccer Classic

Lions and Impact among first to commit to the February soccer event at ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex; Additional teams expected to be announced soon

Major League Soccer’s Montreal Impact and local favorite Orlando City Soccer Club will compete in the Walt Disney World Pro Soccer Classic at ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex this spring. Additional teams will be announced in the next several weeks.

Montreal, which returns for its third straight appearance in the tournament (Feb. 19 – Mar. 1), is back to defend the Disney Pro Soccer Classic title it won over the Columbus Crew a year ago when it blazed through the event undefeated. Montreal is led by Marco Di Vaio, who was third in the league in goals scored last year with 20.

In just three USL-Pro seasons, the Orlando City Lions have won two regular-season titles and two postseason championships, including last year’s championship. This will be the club’s fourth straight appearance in the Disney Pro Soccer Classic, which will sort of be home games for the Lions because they will play their final USL-Pro season home games at ESPN Wide World of Sports this spring before joining the MLS in 2015.

httpv://youtu.be/lAfeGo3Rl08

“We are delighted to once again be competing in the Disney Pro Soccer Classic,’’ said Phil Rawlins, president of Orlando City Soccer Club. “Over the past three years, the Disney Pro Soccer Classic has proved invaluable in giving us game time against the very best teams in North America and preparing our players for the season ahead.”

“We’re excited to have two marquee teams to be among the first to participate in the Pro Soccer Classic. We fully expect this to be the best field in the Pro Soccer Classic’s history. This tournament further shows we are committed to the sport of soccer and now recognized as one of the top training and competition facilities in the world,” said Mike Millay, Director of Sports Development at ESPN Wide World of Sports.

For more information on the Disney Pro Soccer Classic, visit http://espnwwos.disney.go.com. Travel packages are available through GetTravel.com. The packages may include accommodations near Walt Disney World Resort, game tickets, ground transportation, and discounted Disney theme park tickets.

About ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex

ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex, which hosts more than 350 events a year, is the leading multi-sport venue for amateur and professional sports in the nation, accommodating 70 different sports and athletes from more than 70 countries. Designed to take youth sports to the next level, the 230-acre facility features multiple competition venues, including Champion Stadium, the HP Field House, the Jostens Center, the Hess Sports Fields, a track & field facility, a tennis complex and a baseball/softball sportsplex. It is also home to the ESPN Innovation Lab, a real-world testing ground for the ESPN Emerging Technology Group that develops ground-breaking on-air products like Ball Track and ESPN Snap Zoom. In addition, the complex features 56 high-definition cameras and 40 high-definition video screens, including three jumbo screens, which can capture and display footage from any event taking place at the complex. The camera and video screens, as well as a 20-zone audio system, are controlled through the state-of-the-art HD production center with direct links to ESPN facilities in Bristol, Conn., New York and Los Angeles. For more information, visitwww.disneysportsnews.com for press releases, photos and videos. Follow us on Twitter at @DisneySports and on Facebook.