World Football Challenge announced in NYC

Peter Kenyon, chief executive of Chelsea FC, was in Times Square  in New York Tuesday to announce the inaugural World Football Challenge.

Chelsea, AC Milan, Inter Milan and Club America will participate in the pre-season round robin tournament, which takes place in six different cities from July 19-26.

The four teams competing have won 46 league championships and 35 international titles between them.

AC Milan director Umberto Gandini, Inter Technical Director Marco Branca and Club America President Michel Bauer were also at ESPN Zone Tuesday to announce the competition.

The six cities that will host the competition are Los Angeles, Atlanta, Baltimore, Boston, Dallas and San Francisco. New York was not considered as a venue because Giants Stadium will be hosting the 2009 CONCACAF Gold Cup final on July 26.

Lampard, Kaka, Terry, Ronaldinho and Ibrahimovich are just a few of the many superstars that will grace the pre-season tournament.

“We are delighted to be participating in the first ever World Football Challenge. It takes pre-season to a new level. We will be here for the fifth time in six years and with us will be every member of our first team squad,” said Kenyon. “All our new signings as well as our existing players will be here to play the three games.”

It is a hectic schedule for the four teams taking part, and even more so for AC Milan and Chelsea – the Italians also play the Los Angeles Galaxy and the Blues will play MLS new boys the Seattle Sounders – meaning the European giants will play four times in eight days.

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Nster.com