MIAMI (December 15, 2023) – Inter Miami CF announced today that the Club has added Tokyo as a destination to its 2024 Preseason Tour, with the team set to take on J1 League champions Vissel Kobe at the Japan National Stadium on Feb. 7. This match will augment the first-of-its-kind tour by an MLS side, with the Club set to bring Inter Miami CF to Riyadh, Hong Kong and Tokyo to prepare for its exciting 2024 campaign.
“Tokyo is an inspiring destination with a fervent fútbol community that we’re looking forward to getting acquainted with. We’re thrilled to visit Japan as one of our stops as we continue to bring joy to our global fanbase,” said Chief Business Officer Xavier Asensi. “Our aspiration remains to make our fans’ dreams come true, and we believe this match will be a fantastic occasion for them to look forward to, and a wonderful moment for our players.”
Vissel Kobe is the former club of fútbol legend Andrés Iniesta. The iconic Spanish midfielder will be present at the event, where he will be reunited with his long-time teammates and fellow legends of the sport, Lionel Messi, Sergio Busquets and Jordi Alba. The group won one UEFA Champions League and four LaLiga titles together at FC Barcelona, while Iniesta won the FIFA World Cup with Busquets, and the UEFA European Championship with both Busquets and Alba for Spain.
“Vissel Kobe is a powerhouse club in Asia coming off of a historic season after winning the J1 League, so we’re thrilled about this opportunity to sharpen our team in a match like this one. We continue to look for the best ways to prepare for 2024, and feel confident this match and this tour will help us do that,” said Chief Soccer Officer and Sporting Director Chris Henderson.
Following the match against the Hong Kong Team on Feb. 4, the team will head to Tokyo, Japan to face Vissel Kobe in the 60,000 capacity stadium. Vissel Kobe were recently crowned Japan’s J1 League champions for the first time in the club’s history, being guided to the feat by manager Takayuki Yoshida, a former player for the team, and forward and leading scorer Yuya Osako, a Japanese national team player.
The Club has already announced a match against the El Salvador national team on Jan. 19, as well as other legs of the international tour with two matches in the Riyadh Season Cup in Saudi Arabia – on Jan. 29 against Al-Hilal and Feb. 1 against Al Nassr – and a match in Hong Kong against the Hong Kong Team on Feb 4. Further information on the matches, including broadcast and ticketing details, will be announced at a later date.
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