Popular Brazilian clubs to join Orlando City in January FC Series

Three of Brazil’s top soccer teams are set to travel to Orlando in January for a string of friendlies. São Paulo, Atlético Mineiro, and Cruzeiro will join Major League Soccer side Orlando City in the latest edition of the FC Series. The competition, or the Florida Cup, is an annual group of soccer friendlies typically in the Sunshine State.

FC Series was previously introduced in 2015 and has regularly featured some of the best clubs from across the globe. Brazilian top-flight teams, however, have been a mainstay in the tournament. São Paulo, Atlético Mineiro, Flamengo, and Palmeiras have all previously won the competition.

The most recent rendition of the FC Series, played this past summer, involved several marquee European sides. This included eventual winners Manchester City and also Barcelona, AC Milan, and Chelsea. Tournament organizers opted to relabel the competition because most of the recent matches were played outside of Florida.

Fierce Brazilian rivalry match comes to US for first time

Nevertheless, the competition will return to its original roots in January. The upcoming series of matches are perhaps highlighted by Superclássico Mineiro. Atlético and Cruzeiro, both from the city of Belo Horizonte, have one of the most intense rivalries in all of Brazil. The January fixture will be the first time that the two teams face off in the United States.

Along with the rivalry match, the final game of the series will be between Atlético and Orlando City. The Floridian side recently grabbed the fourth seed in the Eastern Conference section of the 2024 MLS playoffs. They face Charlotte in the competition. The triumphant side could potentially play Supporters’ Shield winners Inter Miami in the following round.

Three out of the four FC Series matches are at Orlando’s home stadium. However, São Paulo will also play an unknown team at Chase Stadium in Fort Lauderdale on Jan. 19. Currently, Inter Miami plays its home fixtures at the arena. It remains unclear if Lionel Messi’s club will be the final team to feature in the January competition.

Ticketing info released as schedule not yet complete

São Paulo, Atlético Mineiro, and Cruzeiro are all currently in the top half of the 2024 Brazilian Serie A standings. As a result, the trio is looking to qualify for prestigious South American tournaments at the end of the season.

Historically speaking, no club has earned more Brazilian top-flight points than São Paulo. Tricolor Paulista has also collected six total Serie A titles in their illustrious history. Atlético and Cruzeiro have performed well in the division as well. The Belo Horizonte duo have combined to grab seven league titles.

Presale information for all four matches of the upcoming FC Series is currently available on FCSeries.com. Tickets officially go on sale to fans on Thursday, Oct. 31.

January FC Series Schedule:

Wednesday, January 15 – Cruzeiro vs. São Paulo – Inter&Co Stadium

Saturday, January 18 – Atlético Mineiro vs. Cruzeiro – Inter&Co Stadium

Sunday, January 19 – São Paulo vs. TBA – Chase Stadium

Saturday, January 25: Orlando City vs. Atlético Mineiro – Inter&Co Stadium

PHOTOS: IMAGO