Bayern Munich to tour the US in summer 2014 and play MLS All-Stars

German treble winners FC Bayern Munich are set to tour the United States in their summer pre-season ahead of the 2014/15 season with the traditional All-Star Game at 6.30pm local time on August 6 against a Major League Soccer (MLS) All-Star team. The game will be broadcast to more than 130 countries around the world, the MLS revealed at a press conference on Thursday in Portland, Oregon.

“We’re delighted that such a famous and successful club as FC Bayern Munich will contest the MLS All-Star Game 2014,” commented MLS Commissioner Don Garber. “There’s no better team in the world at the present time and our players are already looking forward to challenging them and testing themselves against the best team around.”

“Taking part in the MLS All-Star Game is another important step in our international strategy. We regard the USA as an important market and want to bring our brand, our team and our philosophy closer to our fans and friends and all football enthusiasts,” commented Jörg Wacker, FCB board director responsible for internationalisation and strategy.

The 19th All-Star Game will be played at the 22,000 capacity JELD-WEN Field stadium, home to MLS club Portland Timbers. It will be the 11th time the MLS All-Stars have faced big-name international opposition, with recent visitors including AS Roma (2013), Chelsea (2012) and Manchester United (2011, 2010). The prestigious match rounds off FC Bayern’s one-week summer tour of the States. Detailed information about the itinerary and further friendly matches will be announced in the next few weeks.

“Becoming the first German club to contest the MLS All-Star Game is an honour. MLS has developed very positively in recent years and we’re looking forward to taking on the league’s best players,” commented FC Bayern head coach Pep Guardiola.

FC Bayern have largely favoured Asia for the overseas touring component of their mid- and pre-season programme in recent years, boosting the process of internationalisation in the region and building the FC Bayern brand locally. The treble winners contested the Audi Football Summit in India in January 2012 and in China in July 2012. Bayern Munich’s most recent trip to the USA was in the summer of 2004, where they prevailed 4–2 on penalties against Manchester United at Soldier Field in Chicago.

Meanwhile the MLS All-Stars will be coached by Caleb Porter, who led the Portland Timbers to a 14-5-15 record this season and a spot in the Western Conference finals. Porter was named the MLS coach of the year.

“One of the great stories in Major League Soccer over the last number of years has been the enormous fan passion, civic support and stadium atmosphere in Portland,” MLS Commissioner Don Garber said. “We look forward to showcasing this phenomenon to the rest of the world.”