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Battery to Welcome FC Cincinnati, Chicago Fire at CCC19

By USLChampionship.com Staff, 11/16/18, 9:02AM EST

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Carolina Challenge Cup enters 15th year with familiar foes visiting MUSC Health Stadium


The Charleston Battery and FC Cincinnati will meet once again in 2019, only this time in preseason at the 15th edition of the Carolina Challenge Cup next February. | Photo courtesy Zach Bland / Charleston Battery

CHARLESTON, S.C. – The Charleston Battery will welcome two familiar foes for the 2019 Carolina Challenge Cup next February with regular preseason visitor the Chicago Fire and former USL Championship rival FC Cincinnati, set to make its debut in Major League Soccer next spring announced as two of the participants in the history preseason tournament.

The Battery, FC Cincy and the Fire will be joined by a third club from Major League Soccer for the event, to be held from February 16-23 at MUSC Health Stadium, with that announcement to be made at a future date.

The 2019 edition of the CCC will be the 15th staging of the tournament. The Battery first held the CCC in 2004, becoming one of the first lower-division American soccer clubs to host multiple MLS teams for preseason. The tournament has offered soccer fans in South Carolina the opportunity to see international superstars play in Charleston for more than a decade.

“Hitting the 15-year milestone for Challenge Cup is really special,” said Eric Bowman, Charleston Battery’s Chairman. “We’ve put together a great tournament featuring a new, exciting club in FC Cincinnati and a club with a lot of history and pedigree in the Chicago Fire. We’re looking forward to announcing the third team in the near future and providing another unforgettable experience for soccer fans here in Charleston.”


The Chicago Fire last visited MUSC Health Stadium in 2013 when they claimed victory at the Carolina Challenge Cup. | Photo courtesy Charleston Battery

FC Cincinnati is the 15th MLS club to participate in Challenge Cup, having battled for the past three seasons with the Battery in the USL Championship. The Battery will welcome the Fire back for the first time in five years. The Fire were crowned Challenge Cup Champions in their last tournament appearance in 2013 and will make their fourth appearance at the tournament overall.

With a 5,100-seat capacity at MUSC Health Stadium, CCC offers soccer fans unmatchable interaction with some of Major League Soccer’s best. The 2019 Challenge Cup will showcase MLS stars including Chicago Fire forward Nemanja Nikolic, who was named the Best MLS Player at the 2018 ESPY Awards after winning the MLS Golden Boot in 2017, and Fanendo Adi, who scored 54 goals for the Portland Timbers before transferring to FC Cincinnati this summer.

The four participating teams will play in a round robin style tournament with doubleheaders on February 16, 20, and 23. Tickets for Carolina Challenge Cup are on sale, with single-day tickets include both matches and start at $30; series passes include six matches across all three days of the tournament and start at $65. To purchase tickets visit tickets.charlestonbattery.com or by calling (843) 971-4625.

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