Celtic to meet Chelsea in glamour US friendly as date and venue confirmed for pre-season fixture

Scottish and English giants set for repeat of 2004 showdown on American soil

Celtic will take on Chelsea in a glamour friendly in Indiana as part of a pre-season tour of America this summer.

The Scottish and English giants will meet on Saturday, July 27 at the University of Notre Dame Stadium in the city South Bend – a venue which previously hosted Borussia Dortmund v Liverpool back in 2019.

It will be just the second ever meeting of the Glasgow and London clubs with the only previous encounter having taken place in Seattle during Celtic’s US tour back in 2004, which the Blues won 4-2.

The match is the last of three games Celtic will be involved in during their summer excursion to the States with other opponents and match venues still to be announced.

Celtic manager Brendan Rodgers is looking forward to the challenge against Mauricio Pochettino’s English Premier League outfit.

“Everyone at Celtic is delighted to be visiting the United States again, particularly for such an exciting pre-season programme and we are really looking forward to meeting Chelsea at Notre Dame,” Rodgers said.

“I know Mauricio well and I look forward to seeing him and his team again in July for what I am sure will be a brilliant occasion between two major European clubs. Pre-season preparation is always an important time and, of course, Chelsea will present us with a strong and exciting challenge.

“We are so fortunate to have such a strong support worldwide and particularly right across the US, so I'm sure our visit will allow our fans a great opportunity to see the team in action and, in turn, we really look forward to seeing our fans there.

“To be playing at the famous and iconic University of Notre Dame at such a fantastic venue will be a unique moment for the club and we are sure the home of the 'Fighting Irish' will generate huge support for Celtic and inspire a great sporting occasion.”

In addition to the match against Celtic, Chelsea will also take on Wrexham on Wednesday, July 24 at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, California and Mexican outfit Club America on Wednesday, July 31 at the Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, Georgia.

“The opportunity to play in front of our fans at the University of Notre Dame is one we are really excited by,” said Chelsea chief executive officer Chris Jurasek. "This fixture against Celtic provides another fantastic contest during the club’s pre-season tour and will be valuable preparation for our 2024/25 Premier League campaign.”

“We are thrilled to be able to welcome Chelsea and Celtic to Notre Dame Stadium this summer,” said incoming Notre Dame Vice President and James E. Rohr Director of Athletics Pete Bevacqua. “It is special that Celtic chose to play at Notre Dame in their first trip stateside in over a decade and joining six-time English Premiere League champion Chelsea will make for an unbelievable experience. I cannot wait for fans across the World to be able to visit and enjoy Notre Dame and the South Bend community while cheering on their clubs.”