International Champions Cup: Leicester City to face Barcelona as Chelsea and Liverpool to meet in California

Leicester City, Chelsea and Liverpool set to take part while Manchester City and Tottenham plan stand-alone showcases

(Getty Images)

Leicester City will face European giants Barcelona, Paris Saint-Germain and Celtic in this summer’s International Champions Cup to be played at venues across the globe.

At a press conference in New York it was confirmed that Chelsea, Liverpool, AC Milan, Bayern Munich, Internazionale and Real Madrid will also participate in the lucrative exhibition competition.

Manchester City and Tottenham Hotspur plan to be involved in stand-alone international showcases in China and Australia while Manchester United may yet take part after announcing an eight-day, two-game tour of Asia this summer.

Premier League holders Chelsea are scheduled to meet up with English rivals Liverpool on July 27 before clashes with Milan and Madrid.

A crowd of 109,318 watched United and Real play at the Michigan Stadium in 2014 and organisers hope this year’s line-up will draw similar crowds across three continents.

In July, Leicester travel to Glasgow to meet Celtic before a trip to Los Angeles for a showpiece match against Paris Saint-Germain.

The current Premier League leaders, however, will be most buoyed by the prospect of facing European champions Barcelona in Stockholm on August 3.

The decision to invite Claudio Ranieri’s side is a surprise after comments by Charlie Stillitano, the chairman of Relevent Sports and the man behind the tournament’s creation, whereby the American tycoon questioned their international pedigree.

A crowd of 109,318 watched Manchester United and Real Madrid meet at the Michigan Stadium in 2014 (Getty)

“What would Manchester United argue: did we create soccer or did Leicester create it?” said Stillitano, who met executives from United, City, Arsenal, Chelsea and Liverpool at the Dorchester Hotel in London this month.

“Let’s call it the money pot created by soccer and the fandom around the world. Who has had more of an integral role, Manchester United or Leicester? It’s a wonderful, wonderful story but you could see it from Manchester United’s point of view.”

The scheduling of the competition, between July 17 and August 13, presents difficulties for many with Celtic planning to squeeze in a game against Leicester on July 23 around home and away Champions League second-round qualifiers.

Saturday, July 23

Celtic v Leicester City, Celtic Park, Glasgow, Scotland

Sunday, July 24

Paris Saint-Germain v Inter Milan, Autzen Stadium, Eugene, Oregon

Wednesday, July 27

Real Madrid v Paris Saint-Germain, Ohio Stadium, Columbus, Ohio

Bayern Munich v AC Milan, Soldier Field, Chicago, Illinois

Liverpool v Chelsea, Rose Bowl, Pasadena, California

Saturday, July 30

Celtic v Barcelona, Aviva Stadium, Dublin, Ireland

Chelsea v Real Madrid, TBA, United States venue

Bayern Munich v Inter Milan, Bank of America Stadium, Charlotte, North Carolina

Liverpool v AC Milan, Levi’s Stadium; Santa Clara, California

Paris Saint-Germain v Leicester City, Los Angeles, California. TBA venue

Wednesday, August 3

Barcelona v Leicester City, Friends Arena, Stockholm, Sweden

Bayern Munich v Real Madrid, MetLife Stadium, East Rutherford, New Jersey

Chelsea v AC Milan, U.S. Bank Stadium, Minneapolis, Minnesota

Saturday, August 6

Liverpool v Barcelona, TBA European venue

Saturday, August 13

Celtic v Inter Milan, TBA European venue