CHARLESTON, SC – The Charleston Battery will welcome Major League Soccer’s (MLS) Atlanta United, Columbus Crew SC, and Minnesota United FC to MUSC Health Stadium this coming February for the 2018 Carolina Challenge Cup (CCC).
This year’s CCC will be the 14th staging of the tournament. The Charleston Battery first held 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.
The 2018 Challenge Cup will feature two of MLS’ newest franchises and one of its oldest. The Battery will welcome back Atlanta United and reigning CCC champions, Columbus Crew SC, for the second consecutive year, while Minnesota United will make their first ever trip to Charleston.
“We’re really excited about this year’s Challenge Cup,” said Eric Bowman, Charleston Battery’s Chairman. “We’ve put together a great tournament that will feature some of the best teams and players in Major League Soccer. We’re looking forward to providing another unforgettable experience for soccer fans here in Charleston.”
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 2018 Challenge Cup will showcase MLS stars including Miguel Almirón (Atlanta United), Josef Martínez (Atlanta United), Justin Meram (Columbus Crew SC), Ola Kamara (Columbus Crew SC) and Kevin Molino (Minnesota United).
The four participating teams will play in a round robin style tournament with doubleheaders on February 17, 21, and 24. The tentative match schedule is:
Saturday, February 17th
Atlanta United vs. Columbus Crew SC (5:00 PM EST)
Charleston Battery vs. Minnesota United (7:30 PM EST)
Wednesday, February 21st [DOLLAR BEER NIGHT]
Charleston Battery vs. Columbus Crew SC (5:00 PM EST)
Atlanta United vs. Minnesota United (7:30 PM EST)
Saturday, February 24th
Columbus Crew SC vs. Minnesota United (5:00 PM EST)
Charleston Battery vs. Atlanta United (7:30 PM EST)
Charleston Battery Soccer Club will be hosting a youth tournament in conjunction with the MLS preseason tournament. For more information about the Youth Carolina Challenge Cup, visit chsbatterysc.com.
All 2018 Season Ticket plans include CCC; season ticket packages are on sale now. Individual tickets for the 2018 CCC will be available for purchase beginning on Friday, October 20th. Single-day ticket start at $30, series passes include all six matches across three days and start at $65. Special rates for groups of 15 or more are available. To purchase tickets on October 20th, visit https://www.www.charlestonbattery.com or call 843-971-4625.
For more information on the 2018 Carolina Challenge Cup, visit https://www.www.charlestonbattery.com.
About Charleston Battery: Charleston Battery is an American professional soccer club based in Charleston, South Carolina. Founded in 1993, the team plays in the United Soccer League and, along with the Richmond Kickers, is the oldest continuously operating professional soccer club in the United States. In 1999, Charleston Battery moved into what is now known as MUSC Health Stadium, becoming the first non-Major League Soccer professional club in the United States to build its own stadium. Charleston Battery is one of the most successful lower division soccer teams in the nation, having previously won the USISL Pro League in 1996, the USL A-League in 2003, and the final season of the USL Second Division in 2010. In 2012, the team won the USL Pro Championship. For more information on the Charleston Battery, visit https://www.www.charlestonbattery.com, call 843-971-GOAL, Facebook (Charleston Battery), Tweet (@Chas_Battery) or Instagram (CharlestonBattery).
About MUSC Health Stadium: Completed in April 1999 as Blackbaud Stadium, MUSC Health Stadium is the first privately funded soccer-specific stadium constructed in the United States during the modern era. Styled after the classic English soccer experience, the stadium seats 5,100 and offers fans an unmatched environment with a 3,000 sq ft jumbotron, superb sight-lines, concessions, and a plush English-styled pub, The Three Lions Club. Additionally, the complex includes sky boxes, a plaza for corporate entertaining, and a full production studio, making it one of the premier professional soccer venues in the United States. The stadium is a hub for the community and is donated for a wide variety of charitable and philanthropic events throughout the year. The facility also functions as a major concert venue in the Southeast and has been the site for various musical events, including the Southern Ground Music & Food Festival featuring Zac Brown Band. In July 2015, the Charleston Battery and MUSC Health announced a five-year stadium-naming rights agreement.
