Los Angeles (AFP) – Iceland will meet Mexico next February at Las Vegas to launch the 15th annual US tour for “El Tricolor.”

The Mexican Football Foundation announced the friendly match Monday, the team’s first-ever visit to the US gambling haven coming February 8 at Sam Boyd Stadium.

“Soccer is the world’s game and Las Vegas is the world’s city, so I can’t think of a better match for this event,” Las Vegas mayor Carolyn G. Goodman said. “Having the Mexican national team in Las Vegas is very exciting and of course we all watched Iceland’s amazing run in Euro 2016.”

Both teams figure to use the match as a tuneup for World Cup 2018 qualifying. Mexico will have March qualifiers against Costa Rica and Trinidad and Tobago as part of North American (CONCACAF) regional “hexagonal” competition.

Mexico will also defend the regional Gold Cup crown next year as well as compete in the FIFA Confederations Cup in Russia.

Iceland, who beat England 2-1 before falling to France in the Euro 2016 quarter-finals, will be preparing for a March 24 match against Kosovo in European qualifying for the 2018 global football showdown in Russia.