The New York Red Bulls dive back into CONCACAF Champions League at Red Bull Arena on Wednesday, Feb. 22 at 8 p.m. against fellow MLS-side Vancouver Whitecaps FC.
With just a few weeks until the Knockout Stage kicks off, here are five reasons why you should attend the CONCACAF Champions League quarterfinal at RBA!
1. Making Club History
The New York Red Bulls have advanced to the Knockout Stage for the first time in club history. This is new territory for the team and a big opportunity to prove their worth on the international stage.
2. A Chance to Lead MLS into Uncharted Territory
No MLS club in the modern era of CONCACAF Champions League has won the competition, a drought that’s lasted eight years. Montreal Impact and Real Salt Lake were the closest teams to accomplishing the feat, but finished as runners up, falling in the championship game.
3. FIFA Club World Cup Qualification at Stake
If the Red Bulls make history as the first MLS club to win CONCACAF Champions League, the club automatically qualifies for the FIFA Club World Cup. The FIFA Club World Cup is a tournament that pins continental champions from around the world against one another to determine the best club in the world. Last year, UEFA Champions League winners Real Madrid C.F. won the 2016 FIFA Club World Cup.
4. Cold Weather Games are Epic
Although temperatures for Feb. 22 are expected to reach a high of 52º F and a low of 28º F (per Accuweather on Jan. 10), the possibility of snow is in the air with a wintery mix expected the following day on Feb. 23. American sports has a storied history when it comes to cold weather games, with U.S. Soccer’s most notable being the Snow Clasico of 2013, a legendary World Cup Qualifying victory over Costa Rica.
Last year’s Red Bulls game against Colorado Rapids, despite the result, was a back-and-forth battle for 90 minutes. In other American sports such as football, fans can point to numerous cold weather games, none more famous than the 1967 Ice Bowl between the Green Bay Packers and Dallas Cowboys when temperatures reached a low of -15º F (don’t worry, it DEFINITELY won’t be that cold on Feb. 22).
5. Red Bulls Soccer is Back for the First Time in 2017!
After 107 days without Red Bulls soccer, the team returns home to Red Bull Arena for its first competitive game of 2017. Fans will get their first look at the Boys in White ahead of the 2017 MLS season and the South Ward will re-assemble to bring the noise for a landmark game in the club’s history. With so much on the line in the two-legged quarterfinals, fans are in for a special treat on Feb. 22 and again in the second leg at Vancouver on March 2.
Pick up your tickets for the February 22 game at Red Bull Arena right now!
