Wrexham AFC will meet Chelsea in Chapel Hill, North Carolina, on the evening of Wednesday July 19 as part of the 2023 FC Series. The stateside match will see the two historic clubs meet on neutral soil for the first time.
The match also marks the first international football competition to be held at the University of North Carolina’s Kenan Stadium.
Group and single-match presale information is available at FCSeries.com. Public tickets go on sale Thursday, April 27. A portion of every ticket sold will be donated to the Pediatric Hematology Oncology Clinic at UNC Children's Hospital.
Broadcast information and the official match start time will be announced later this year.
There will be two further Wrexham AFC games on July 22 on the West Coast and 28th on the East Coast. Full details will be announced as soon as the agreements are finalised.
Wrexham AFC manager Phil Parkinson said: “Our tour of the United States will be an exciting part of the summer's build-up to the new season and something we will all be looking forward to in July.
“To have the opportunity to play a team of Chelsea's calibre at the Kenan Stadium, North Carolina, will be a terrific test for our players and form an important part of our preparations for the 2023/24 season.
“We're looking forward to meeting some of the fans who have supported us so passionately from afar this season at a renowned athletics stadium."
Set among the majestic Carolina pines, Kenan Stadium has been home to the Tar Heels football program since 1927. Though primarily an American football venue, the stadium also hosted Carolina's first national championship in women's sports when the 1981 UNC women's soccer team won 1-0 over the University of Central Florida.
Unified Events will host the event in partnership with Orlando, Florida-based Florida Citrus Sports. The Chapel Hill match is the first of the 2023 FC Series, an international soccer exhibition that grew from Florida Citrus Sports' Florida Cup event.
Since 2015, the Florida Cup & FC Series has featured clubs from all over the world. Last year, Arsenal defeated Chelsea in the headline match in Orlando. This summer's FC Series schedule also includes the Orlando stop of the Premier League Summer Series when Fulham and Aston Villa meet on July 26. Additional FC Series and Florida Cup events will be announced later this year.
Longtime FC Series supporter Universal Orlando Resort will support the event in Chapel Hill as part of its partnership across all series matches.
Chelsea FC President of Business Tom Glick added: “We are delighted to return to North Carolina as part of our US tour this summer, and play in what I'm sure will be a fantastic atmosphere at Kenan Stadium.
“Our strong US fanbase support us incredibly all year round and we are looking forward to meeting them in Chapel Hill.”
University of North Carolina Athletics Director Bubba Cunningham said: “We are excited to bring Chelsea and Wrexham to Chapel Hill for this fun and historic event.
“We look forward to welcoming fans from all over the world, filling Kenan Stadium and creating a fantastic atmosphere for international competition.”
Unified Events Head of Touring Business and Operations Molly Pendleton said: "We are excited to bring this historic match to Kenan Stadium and the University of North Carolina. We can't wait to bring fans to Chapel Hill to see Chelsea and Wrexham's first date on U.S. soil in 2023."
Florida Citrus Sports CEO Steve Hogan added: "Our team is excited to work with Chelsea againfollowing last summer's successful tour.
Matching them with the incredible underdog story of Wrexham will make this a must-see match on the summer soccer calendar.
“Together with Unified Events, we look forward to bringing 'the beautiful game' to the picturesque backdrop of UNC's campus."
FC Series CEO Ricardo Villar said: "This match is a thrilling addition to the history of the FC Series.
“The pairing of Chelsea's legacy and pedigree with the resurgence of Wrexham will be an incredible experience for international football fans in the United States this summer."