D.C. United set to host Everton in international friendly

Washington, D.C. (March 22, 2011) - D.C. United announced today the club will play an international friendly against English Premier League side Everton Football Club on Saturday, July 23 at RFK Stadium. It will be the first-ever meeting between the two clubs, with kickoff scheduled for 7:30 p.m.


“D.C. United takes pride in measuring our club against the best clubs worldwide,” said United President & CEO Kevin Payne. “In Everton, we have yet another world-class opponent visiting RFK Stadium. Our respect for their organization is deep and we look forward to hosting them this summer.”

Tickets for this match are available as part of Full Season Ticket plans and 10-Game Plan B Holders as Special Game B. Pro-rated season ticket packages remain available for sale and include all 16 remaining MLS home games, a May 22 date with Ajax of Amsterdam, the Everton friendly and a third special event to be announced - all for as little as $342. 10-game plans A and B, which include one special event (either Everton or Ajax) and nine MLS home dates, remain available for as little as $200.

Groups of 15 or more may now purchase discounted tickets to the Everton match at $25 for Spectator level, $30 for Premium, $40 for VIP and $50 for Mezzanine level. Individual game tickets will go on sale Monday, March 28 for $30 at the Spectator level, $40 at Premium level, $50 at VIP level and $60 at the Mezzanine level.

Everton currently sits in eighth place in the Premier League, and the club’s roster is full of international talent. United fans will be familiar with Everton’s goalkeeper, as U.S. National Team stalwart Tim Howard anchors the Toffees’ backline. The New Jersey native began his professional career in Major League Soccer with the MetroStars in 1998, before leaving for Manchester United in 2003. Howard was loaned to Everton for the 2006-2007 Premier League campaign, paving the way for a permanent stay on Merseyside.

Said Howard of returning to the United States, “I’m really looking forward to playing at RFK again. It’s a stadium I know well and D.C. United is a club I know well. They’ve been successful in the States over the years and it will be great to play against them with Everton.”

The goalkeeper continues, “It will be an important part of our preseason preparation and it will be the type of tough test that we want. I know the Head Coach, Ben Olsen, very well of course, having played alongside him so many times for the National Team and he was a great player who I am sure will be a terrific coach for D.C. There’s a lot of football to be played here in the Premier League but I’m already looking forward to playing my pals at D.C. United.”

Everton boasts other top names in English football, including top goal-scorer Louis Saha and Australian striker Tim Cahill. Phil Neville captains Everton, as the defender has been with the club since 2005 following a ten-year stay with Manchester United. Neville also holds over 50 international appearances for England. 28-year-old Spanish midfielder Mikel Arteta brings flair and guile to the club, having played for Rangers, Real Sociedad, and Paris Saint-Germain throughout his career. English fullback Leighton Baines leads Everton with 11 assists in league play this season, while emerging stars Seamus Coleman and Jack Rodwell are also making names for themselves.

Founded in 1878, Everton is the longest tenured club in England’s topflight, having played a record 108 seasons in the First Division. The Toffees have remained in the top division since 1954, and the club was a founding member of the Premier League in 1992. The Liverpool-based side has won nine League Championships, the fourth highest total in England, with its most recent title coming in the 1986-1987 season. Everton’s last major honor came in 1995 when the club won the FA Cup against Manchester United.

More recently, the club has experienced great success under Manager David Moyes. The Glasgow native recently celebrated his ninth anniversary managing Everton, trailing only Manchester United’s Sir Alex Ferguson and Arsenal’s Arsene Wenger in Premier League longevity. Since Moyes’ appointment in 2002, Everton earned a fourth place finish in 2004-2005, allowing the club to enter the UEFA Champions League. The Toffees qualified for the 2007-2008 and 2008-2009 UEFA Cup, the 2009-2010 Europa League, and Everton was runner-up to Chelsea in the 2009 FA Cup Final on Moyes’ watch.

“We’re looking forward to going back to America. We’ve been a few times now and the facilities are always first-class,” said Moyes. “We’ve not yet been to Washington as a club so we’re really looking forward to the game against D.C. United. It will be one of our first games of the summer and it’s good that it will be against quality opposition. RFK is a terrific stadium and I am sure we’ll all enjoy the experience.”