Bundesliga Continues to Expand Presence in the United States with Two Clubs Competing in the 2015 Florida Cup

FRANKFURT, Germany and ORLANDO, Fla., Dec. 18, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- As the popularity of soccer continues to grow in the United States, Bundesliga clubs Bayer 04 Leverkusen and 1. FC Koln will travel to the U.S. in January to compete in the 2015 Florida Cup against Brazilian clubs Corinthians and Fluminense FC. The clubs will play in a four-match tournament that will take place in Orlando on Jan. 15 and Jacksonville on Jan. 17.

The tournament will consist of double-headers at both the ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex in Orlando and EverBank Field in Jacksonville. To crown the tournament and national club champions, each match victory will deliver three points, with one point for a tie in regulation and one additional point for a penalty shootout victory.

Local rivals 1. FC Koln and Bayer 04 Leverkusen represent two of the most competitive clubs in German soccer. Since the club's founding in 1948, 1. FC Koln has claimed two Bundesliga championships, with an additional German Championship title prior to the Bundesliga's formation. Bayer 04 Leverkusen has a history dating back 110 years that includes a UEFA Cup championship and a Champions League final appearance in 2002.

Finishing in fourth place in the Bundesliga last season, Bayer 04 Leverkusen has carried their stellar play into the 2014-2015 season. Currently in fourth place, Bayer 04 Leverkusen is led by electrifying winger Karim Bellarabi. The squad also features American goalkeeper David Yelldell, who has spent time on the United States men's national team roster.

Coming off of a 2. Bundesliga championship in the 2013-2014 season, 1. FC Koln is relying on the youth of left back Jonas Hector (who recently joined the German national team) and striker Anthony Ujah (a member of the Nigerian national team) to lead the team as they look to re-establish themselves in the Bundesliga during the 2014-2015 season.

Tickets for the Florida Cup can be purchased online at Ticketmaster.com or at the ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex and EverBank Field box offices. Match dates and times are listed below:

• Jan. 15 at the ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex (Orlando): Bayer 04 Leverkusen vs. Fluminense FC at 5 p.m. EST; 1. FC Koln vs. Corinthians at 7:30 p.m. EST.
• Jan. 17 at EverBank Field (Jacksonville): Bayer 04 Leverkusen vs. Corinthians at 1 p.m. EST; 1. FC Koln vs. Fluminense FC at 3:30 p.m. EST.

The Bundesliga has also released a new video featuring club backgrounds and player interviews leading into the Florida Cup: https://vimeo.com/114898691.

For more information on the 2015 Florida Cup, visit www.bundesliga.com.

About Bundesliga

One of Europe's top tier soccer leagues, the Bundesliga sits at the pinnacle of Germany's club soccer league system. With 18 member clubs and ranking first in the world in average match attendance, the Bundesliga attracts international soccer stars and fans from around the world – with broadcast television access in over 200 countries. The league was formed in 1962 and is operated by the Deutsche Fußball Liga (DFL).

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SOURCE Bundesliga

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