MLS Match to be First Event at 49ers New Levi’s Stadium

NFL will not be the first league to visit the new Levi’s Stadium after Major League Soccer’s (MLS) San Jose Earthquakes announced that they will present the first event at Levi’s Stadium.

Through a partnership with the Santa Clara Stadium Authority, the Earthquakes will play host to Seattle Sounders FC in one of Major League Soccer’s most heated rivalries on August 2, 2014.

“We are proud to open Levi’s Stadium against Sounders FC,” said Earthquakes President Dave Kaval. “Santa Clara and the 49ers are great partners and they are constructing a world-class venue that all the Bay Area can be proud of. We have seen great crowds around MLS over the past five years, especially in Seattle, but we are confident that this match will once again demonstrate that the Bay Area has the most passionate soccer fans in the country.”

“The Santa Clara Stadium Authority is extremely pleased to open Levi’s Stadium with an event that showcases one of our region’s very own professional sports franchises, while allowing our community the opportunity to experience the premiere outdoor sports and entertainment venue in the world for the first time,” said Santa Clara Stadium Authority Executive Director Julio Fuentes.   

The San Francisco 49ers are set to move into the new stadium in time for the 2014 season. The stadium will also be the new home of college football’s annual Fight Hunger Bowl.

“The sport of soccer has experienced tremendous growth and support in the United States in recent years, and Levi’s Stadium looks forward to hosting many more world-class matches in years to come,” said Paraag Marathe, COO of the 49ers who booked the event on behalf of the Stadium Authority.