MLS Cup 2011 Awarded to Los Angeles

The Home Depot Center to host League’s 16th championship match on Nov. 20

NEW YORK – This fall, The Home Depot Center will host Major League Soccer’s championship event for the fourth time in League history. MLS Cup 2011 will kick off at 9 p.m. ET (live on ESPN and Galavision in the United States; on TSN2 in Canada) on November 20, 2011 at the home of the LA Galaxy.

“We are proud and excited to bring Major League Soccer’s championship event back to the City of Los Angeles and The Home Depot Center, one of the finest sports venues in the United States,” said MLS Commissioner Don Garber. “MLS Cup has grown into a four-day celebration of the world’s game in North America. We believe that Los Angeles and The Home Depot Center will be a superb stage for MLS Cup 2011.”

The three previous MLS Cup matches held at The Home Depot Center were resounding successes with an average of five goals scored per game. In 2008, a sold out crowd of 27,000 – including vibrant supporters’ sections for both clubs – witnessed a virtuoso performance by the Columbus Crew’s Guillermo Barros Schelotto. The playmaker set up all of his team’s goals in a 3-1 victory over the New York Red Bulls, and Crew captain Frankie Hejduk nodded home the clincher. In 2004, D.C. United lifted the MLS Cup trophy after 3-2 win over the Kansas City Wizards. In 2003, another capacity crowd saw the San Jose Earthquakes defeat the Chicago Fire, 4-2, in a wide-open contest.

“We are extremely pleased to be able to once again host MLS Cup, our league’s most important game, in the premier soccer stadium in this country, The Home Depot Center,” Galaxy President Tom Payne said. “Los Angeles is very familiar with hosting major events and this championship game is going to be embraced by the entire city. We would like nothing more than to be playing in MLS Cup 2011 at home in front of our fans.”

Since opening its doors in 2003, The Home Depot Center has served as the home of the two-time MLS Cup Champion and five-time MLS Cup finalist LA Galaxy. Designated as an Official U.S. Olympic Training Site, this facility is also home to Chivas USA and the National Training Center for the United States Soccer Federation’s (USSF) Men’s and Women’s National Teams. In addition to three MLS Cups, the stadium has hosted numerous memorable soccer matches, including the 2003 FIFA Women’s World Cup Championship game, the 2003 MLS All-Star Game, and CONCACAF Men’s and Women’s Gold Cup matches.

”The Home Depot Center and the LA Galaxy are thrilled to welcome back MLS Cup to Carson,” said The Home Depot Center General Manager Katie Pandolfo. “We are proud of the soccer community we’ve built at The Home Depot Center and look forward to welcoming soccer fans from across the country for the sport’s year-end celebration in November.”

MLS fans from around the world should not miss this opportunity to see a championship match at an extraordinary facility that has been called “the cathedral of U.S. soccer.” MLS Cup has become an annual pilgrimage; fans from across the United States and Canada gather for the four-day celebration.

This game is included in Galaxy full season ticket plans as Bonus Game 1. A special ticket pre-sale will take place in the near future for all current Galaxy ticket plan holders wishing to add additional tickets at a discounted price to MLS Cup 2011. Additionally, fans who wish to purchase a 2011 full season seat or mini-plan that includes MLS Cup can do so at this time.

For more information about MLS Cup tickets, fans should call the LA Galaxy for details at 1-877-3GALAXY or go to www.lagalaxy.com.