Stoke City Announces Summer 2013 US Tour

Stoke City announced today that the club will be embarking on a 10-day tour of the United States this summer.

The Stoke City players, including Americans Geoff Cameron and Brek Shea, will land in the United States on July 22. Stoke have lined up a friendly against FC Dallas on Saturday, July 27.

Stoke will play another friendly, on either July 24 or 25, against a different team. Details are expected to be announced next week regarding that match.

“The tour to the United States was extremely successful last year, first and foremost in achieving our primary objective of helping to prepare the squad for the season ahead,” said City’s Chief Executive Tony Scholes. “The football management and players were impressed with the high standard of the opposition for all three games, as well as the quality of the training facilities.

“The transfer of Brek Shea subsequently presented an opportunity for us to play a match against his former club which is where we will be heading as part of this tour.

“It’s also a good time to be going back with an exciting feature of the new television agreement being NBC’s coverage which will enhance the Barclays Premier League’s profile in the United States and if there is one market right now where we can develop our own profile, then it has to be America due to the presence of three US internationals in our squad.”

In previous summers where Stoke have conducted pre-season in the United States, Stoke City have played against Columbus Crew, Sporting Kansas City and Orlando City.

Who’s planning on going to see Stoke City play against FC Dallas? And which team do you think Stoke should play in their second friendly in the United States? Will it be sister club Orlando City, or is there another team that you’d like to see Stoke play Stateside? Share your opinions in the comments section below.

Stoke City will be in the United States during pre-season in addition to other Premier League sides such as Chelsea and Manchester City.