ORLANDO, Fla. (Oct. 24, 2024) — Inter&Co Stadium will officially help the FC Series commemorate its 10-year anniversary in 2025, as the event hearkens back to its Florida Cup roots next January with a special edition featuring three major Brazilian soccer clubs – São Paulo, Atlético Mineiro and Cruzeiro – across three matches at the downtown Orlando venue.
Inter&Co will kick off Inter&Co Soccer Week, which will feature the three FC Series matches at Inter&Co Stadium in Orlando:
- Wednesday, Jan. 15: Cruzeiro vs. São Paulo – Inter&Co Stadium
- Saturday, Jan. 18: Atlético Mineiro vs. Cruzeiro – Inter&Co Stadium
- Saturday, Jan. 25: Orlando City SC vs. Atlético Mineiro – Inter&Co Stadium
“We are very excited to again collaborate with our partners at FC Series to host three excellent matches at Inter&Co Stadium, welcoming a trio of top Brazilian clubs in addition to participation from our Orlando City Lions,” said Orlando City SC President of Business Operations Jarrod Dillon. “We are especially grateful to our partners at Inter&Co for supporting this week of soccer, including the opportunity to compete for the first-ever Inter&Co Trophy against a top side in Atlético Mineiro.”
The January 2025 lineup will kick off with a Brazilian football classic, as São Paulo and Cruzeiro start their respective preseasons with a friendly on Wednesday, Jan. 15. That match at Inter&Co Stadium will be Cruzeiro’s first contest in the U.S. in 11 years and marks the club’s FC Series debut.
São Paulo, meanwhile, will be participating in the FC Series for the third time after winning the Florida Cup tournament in 2017 and returning in 2019, when it faced Ajax from the Netherlands and Eintracht Frankfurt from Germany. The club will also compete in a second FC Series match on Jan. 19 at Chase Stadium against an opponent to be announced.
One day earlier, on Saturday, Jan. 18, Atlético and Cruzeiro will play the first "Superclássico Mineiro" ever hosted in the U.S. The match will mark Atlético’s fourth year participating in the FC Series after winning the 2016 Florida Cup and returning in 2017 and 2018. Atlético will then conclude its 2025 preseason slate with a match at Orlando City on Jan. 25. The winner of this matchup will take home the inaugural Inter&Co Trophy, which will be contested annually during the FC Series at Inter&Co Stadium, the home of Orlando City.
Additional information, including broadcast details and remaining participants, will be announced in due course.
Presale information for all matches is available now at FCSeries.com. Tickets will go on sale to the public starting Thursday, Oct. 31.
Orange County Mayor Jerry L. Demings:
“We are thrilled to welcome three of Brazil’s most prestigious soccer clubs to Orange County for a collection matches at Inter&Co Stadium as FC Series celebrates a decade of impact in Central Florida next January. These friendlies, including a classic Brazilian rivalry game and a showcase featuring hometown team Orlando City, will attract passionate soccer fans from every corner of our community and many visitors from South America and around the world. Over the past 10 years, Orlando has consistently demonstrated its appeal as a premier destination for high-profile international soccer friendlies, and events like these help bolster the area's thriving tourism industry and solidify our community's standing as a global hub for sports, culture and entertainment."
Orlando Mayor Buddy Dyer:
"Hosting big international soccer matches over the years has played a role in Orlando becoming the top sports event destination in the country. It's wonderful that the FC Series is growing to add friendlies in January and we're looking forward to welcoming three of the most recognizable Brazilian soccer clubs and their fans to downtown Orlando. The matches will be another great opportunity to showcase our city's vibrancy, diversity and commitment to inclusion."
Inter&Co Global CEO João Vitor Menin:
“We are very excited to host Brazilian soccer in Florida, where thousands of Brazilians live. With a soccer week at Inter&Co Stadium, we are kicking off an event that will celebrate local communities, visiting tourists, and reinforce our commitment to providing seamless experiences and benefits to our more than 34 million customers and partners, whether in Brazil or the U.S. This includes exclusive experiences, ticket discounts, early access to ticket sales, and more to be announced on @Inter_co's Instagram.”
Atlético Mineiro CEO Bruno Muzzi:
"It is a great pleasure for Atlético to return to the United States for the 2025 FC Series, especially in this special edition celebrating the event's tenth anniversary. We have a large fan base in the U.S., and reconnecting with them will be very important. In addition to promoting the Club's brand in the American market and opening new opportunities, we will have access to excellent facilities to prepare for the 2025 competitions."
Cruzeiro CEO Alexandre Mattos:
“Cruzeiro is honored to take part in such a renowned event as the FC Series 2025. This will give us the opportunity to prepare for the upcoming season at a top level, making use of excellent facilities and further strengthening the team's unity. Moreover, it’s a chance to expand our brand internationally, explore new revenue streams, and engage with Cruzeiro fans living in North America. In the past decade, Cruzeiro conducted part of its preseason in the U.S., which led to outstanding results, culminating in titles at the season’s end. We hope this return to the country will bring us similar success.”
São Paulo FC President Julio Cesar Casares:
“We are very pleased to accept the invitation from the FC Series to hold our training and preseason matches for 2025 in the United States, the host country for the 2026 FIFA World Cup. We will proudly bring our colors and crest to North America, positioning São Paulo FC in this key market within the global soccer scene.”
Florida Citrus Sports President Sharon Line Clary:
“We are thrilled to welcome three of Brazil’s premier soccer clubs to Orlando for next January’s FC Series. Since Florida Citrus Sports and Florida Cup joined forces in 2021, we’ve seen remarkable growth together, with FC Series playing a major role in making Central Florida a prime destination for international soccer. The January FC Series lineup underlines Florida Citrus Sports’ commitment to bringing world-class soccer to the region, and we’re excited for the opportunity to connect our community with the passion and excitement of Brazilian football once again.”
Visit Orlando President and CEO Casandra Matej
"Orlando continues to create new opportunities for sports fans worldwide, hosting top international clubs with the FC Series in January and the FIFA Club World Cup in the summer of 2025. Brazilians have a strong affinity for Orlando, and by bringing three Brazilian clubs to the FC Series, there are even more reasons for our Brazilian visitors to enjoy our destination, both in the stadium and beyond."
WHAT THEY ARE SAYING
FC Series / Florida Cup CEO Ricardo Villar
"We are thrilled to return to our traditional January preseason window focused on top South American clubs. We look forward to delivering a first-class experience to Flamengo while in town and welcoming the Orlando City fans back to Camping World Stadium, where the club’s MLS campaign began back in 2015."
Flamengo Vice President for Communications and Marketing Gustavo Oliveira
“This pre-season in the United States, including games with MLS semifinalists, is a great opportunity to grow the Flamengo brand inside the very important American market, where we will play in the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup. With the 2026 FIFA World Cup and the investments that are being made by the country, world football has in the United Stated, a new, enormous point of attention. Flamengo, as major European clubs, are alert to this and will, more and more, reinforce their presence in the country, may that be with work on social media focused on the American public, may it be by way of in person events of the Flamengo brand, as this pre-season will be.”
Orlando City SC EVP of Soccer Operations and General Manager Luiz Muzzi
“Flamengo is one of the most historic clubs in Brazil, with the most on-the-field national championships, three Libertadores titles and a world championship. This is both an exciting way to open the new year for our supporters and a great test for our team, as we look toward a 2024 that also includes Concacaf Champions Cup early on. We’re excited to have the eyes of the Nação on Orlando during this time and are hopeful that this match will be the springboard for a very successful 2024 for our team and fans."
SATURDAY, JANUARY 27 - FC SERIES
ORLANDO CITY SC (USA) vs. CR FLAMENGO (BRAZIL) | Time TBD
Exploria Stadium
Orlando, FL
