For the first time in the history of Jordan-Hare Stadium, an international soccer match will be played in the iconic venue this summer. Reigning World Champions Argentina will face off against Iceland on Tuesday, June 9, at 7:30 p.m. Central Time.
The teams will go head-to-head in a friendly as part of the Road to 26 presented by Turkish Airlines, leading up to this summer's World Cup, for which the United States is a host nation. Auburn athletics director John Cohen expressed his excitement for the upcoming event in the university's official announcement.
“To have the reigning FIFA World Cup champions choose Auburn as the site of their last match before defending their title represents a tremendous achievement and an incredible opportunity for Auburn Athletics and Auburn University,” Cohen said, per AuburnTigers.com. “This exhibition between Argentina and Iceland will bring worldwide attention and exposure to Auburn and our community.”
Argentina is currently ranked No. 3 in FIFA's world rankings and is led by one of soccer's superstars and one of the most recognizable players in the game, Lionel Messi. According to Auburn Undercover, Messi has not yet confirmed whether he will play in the World Cup, and though rosters must be submitted by May 9 it would not confirm whether or not Messi would play in the friendly.
“We are thrilled to partner with Unified Events and Florida Citrus Sports to bring this exceptional event to the Auburn community as we continue to strengthen Auburn’s position as a premier destination for live entertainment in the Southeast,” said Rhett Hobart, Auburn Deputy AD/External Affairs and Chief Revenue Officer. “To see the defending FIFA World Cup champions compete on Pat Dye Field will mark a unique milestone in Jordan-Hare Stadium’s iconic history and will be an incredible experience for the Auburn family, our community and guests.”
The soccer announcement comes in the wake of the university's publishing of the architect's renderings of the proposed $323 million addition to the north side of Jordan-Hare Stadium.
Tickets for the match will start at only $45 and will go on sale on Wednesday, April 15, at 9 a.m. CT.