Get ready for a different type of football to descend upon Acrisure Stadium this summer. The Pittsburgh Steelers announced Tuesday that English Premier League team Liverpool F.C. and LaLiga side Real Betis will play a pre-season friendly called the Iron City Showdown at the home of the Steelers on July 26.
“Adding Pittsburgh to our preseason tour schedule is a great way to start our eagerly anticipated return to the USA,” said Liverpool commercial director Ben Latty, per a press release provided by the Steelers. “We were delighted to quickly sell out our pictures 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.”
This isn’t the first time Acrisure Stadium has hosted soccer matches. The stadium played host to the International Champions Cup match between EPL side Manchester City and Seria A team A.C. Milan in July 2014. In July 2018, the ICC returned to the stadium for a match between Portuguese team Benfica and Bundesliga side Borussia Dortmund. Acrisure Stadium has also hosted the United States Women’s National Team on two separate occasions for friendlies in 2004 (versus Iceland) and against Costa Rica in 2015.
The Iron City Showdown is being organized by TEG Sport, a company that produces and promotes live sporting events.
“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,” TEG CEO Geoff Jones said. “We have been overwhelmed by the response to matches in so many great soccer markets across the country… and we are expecting the same type of response in one of the fastest growing soccer fan bases in the U.S. in Pittsburgh.”
At the time of writing, Liverpool sits second in the Premier League but even on points with league leader Arsenal. Real Betis sit in eighth in La Liga. This is not the first meeting between the teams as they faced off in the UEFA Champions League during the 2005-06 season. However, it will be the first time they have played since that matchup 19 years ago.
If there are no changes to the rosters between now and then, Pittsburgh fans will get a chance to see a U.S. Men’s National Team player in person. Midfielder Johnny Cardoso joined Real Betis at the beginning of 2024. He has one goal and two assists in nine appearances for the club.
