Arsenal superstars have touched down in Sydney ahead of the club’s pre-season tour
Hundreds of diehard supporters of English Premier League team Arsenal braved the cold this morning to catch a glimpse as the team touched down in Sydney.
It’s the first time the team has been to Australia, and fans travelled from all over the city to welcome them down under.
Capacity crowds will pack ANZ Stadium this week, as English Premier League giants Arsenal FC take on Sydney FC and the Western Sydney Wanderers in two blockbuster matches.
NSW Minister for Trade and Industry and Acting Minister for Tourism and Major Events, Niall Blair, welcomed the reigning FA Cup Champions to Sydney.
“We are thrilled to have the Gunners here in Sydney, they’re one of the oldest and most successful football clubs in the world, with 13 Premier League championships and a record 13 FA Cup titles in their 131 year history,” Mr Blair said.
“It’s the first time Arsenal FC has played in Australia in 40 years and it promises to deliver a raft of benefits to NSW – we expect almost 28,000 domestic and international visitors to contribute more than $18 million to the state.
“Fans have travelled from around Australia and more than 15 other countries to see Arsenal face off against the best in NSW, with ticket sales indicating both games will be packed to the rafters.”
The two-match tour was secured exclusively for Sydney by the NSW Government’s tourism and major events agency, Destination NSW.
The tour continues the Government’s record of attracting the world’s premier football teams to Sydney, with Arsenal joining a list including Manchester United, Chelsea, Tottenham Hotspur, Juventus and Liverpool who have all played in the Harbour city over the past three years.
The Gunners will face the current A-League champions Sydney FC on Thursday 13 July, 2017 at ANZ Stadium, before finishing their tour against the Western Sydney Wanderers on Saturday 15 July, 2017 at the same venue.
