Following an incredibly successful event in 2023, the International Summer Series is expanding to five cities across Atlantic Canada in July, with at least one match in each Atlantic province.
The International Summer Series is a club friendly series that pits a Halifax Wanderers Development Team against professional teams from overseas. In 2024, we are excited to announce that newly promoted English Premier League side Ipswich Town FC and Middlesbrough FC from the EFL Championship are entering squads into the series. The two clubs will also play each other once during their trip to Canada.
“After such a well-attended event last summer, we’re thrilled to be able to expand the International Summer Series so that more people in Atlantic Canada have the opportunity to watch a high level of soccer,” Wanderers President and Founder Derek Martin said. “The Wanderers squad will feature some of the top young players from Atlantic Canada, and we can’t wait to see them battle it out against the emerging talent of top sides in England.”
The first match of the series will be played at King George V Park in St. John’s, Newfoundland and Labrador on Sunday, July 14 (1 p.m. kickoff). The Halifax Wanderers U21 team will face Ipswich Town FC U21 in the match. This marks the first time the Wanderers have visited the province with the match being played at a historic soccer venue. In 1985, Canada’s men’s national team defeated Honduras 2-1 at King George V Park as the country earned its first-ever World Cup qualification.
“We are incredibly excited to welcome the Halifax Wanderers and the Ipswich Town FC to kick off the International Summer Series in the City of St. John’s,” St. John’s Mayor Danny Breen said. “Hosting this high calibre soccer match is sure to have a positive impact on our community and create an unforgettable soccer experience for visitors and residents of both St. John’s and Newfoundland and Labrador.”
“Soccer is a sport with an immense fan base in this province. The Government of Newfoundland and Labrador, through Celebrate NL, is pleased to have contributed $30,000 toward bringing the Halifax Wanderers-Ipswich Town soccer match to our capital city,” The Honourable Steve Crocker, Minister of Tourism, Culture, Arts and Recreation said. “While here, the team also plans to organize development opportunities for junior and high-performance players. I have no doubt that soccer fans of all ages will be thrilled at the news of these events.”
On Wednesday, July 17 (7 p.m.), Ipswich Town U21 and Wanderers U21 will face off at The Ness Timmons Soccer Field in Sydney, Nova Scotia. The venue is the home field of Cape Breton University, a program that has produced numerous professional players, including current Wanderers goalkeeper Daniel Clarke.
“The Cape Breton Regional Municipality has a strong legacy for hosting global events and welcoming the world,” Cape Breton Regional Municipality Mayor Amanda McDougall-Merrill said. “ We are thrilled to have the Halifax Wanderers and Ipswich Town FC hit the pitch at the Ness Timmons field this summer. I want to encourage the Cape Breton soccer community to fill the stands at CBU and cheer on these talented international athletes.”
An exciting double-header will be played at the Croix Bleue Medavie Stadium in Moncton, New Brunswick, on Sunday, July 21. Ipswich Town U21 and Middlesbrough FC U21 will face each other in an all-English matchup (1:00 p.m.), followed by Halifax Wanderers U21 against a New Brunswick Select team (3:30 p.m.), showcasing that region’s top local players.
“We are absolutely thrilled to host two high-calibre soccer matches at the Croix Bleue Medavie Stadium again this summer,” Bill Whalen, Co-Chair of Events Moncton said. “Building on the success of last year’s event, it’s an incredible honour to welcome Ipswich Town FC and Middlesbrough FC, bringing international talent to Moncton. We invite the entire soccer community to come and witness this exceptional talent on our world-class field. This is an exciting moment for Moncton, and we can’t wait to share the passion and excitement of these matches with fans from near and far.”
Following the double-header in Moncton, Halifax Wanderers U21 will then host Middlesbrough FC U21 at The Wanderers Grounds in Halifax, Nova Scotia, on Wednesday, July 24 (7 p.m. kickoff).
The final match of the International Summer Series will take place between the Wanderers and Middlesbrough in Charlottetown, PEI, at UPEI Turf Field (7 p.m. kickoff) on Saturday, July 27. Canadian soccer fans will remember PEI’s incredible hospitality in hosting the entire 2020 CPL season in an event dubbed The Island Games.
“This year, Charlottetown will play host to several high-profile, international sporting events, beginning with the International Summer Series,” Charlottetown Mayor Philip Brown said. “We are thrilled to once again welcome top-tier soccer talent from around the world to the capital city, and we look forward to high-energy competition on the pitch. Charlottetown is the heart of events on Prince Edward Island, and it’s only fitting that we’ve been included as a host city during this international series.”
Currently Atlantic Canada’s only professional soccer team, the Halifax Wanderers are passionate about growing the game in the region and developing local players for its Canadian Premier League roster. At least one current or former Wanderer has come from each of the four Atlantic Provinces.
“We know Wanderers support comes from all across the region and are excited to have our team come to them and hopefully inspire several future Wanderers who will be in the crowd at these matches,” Martin said.
The Wanderers have worked closely with English-based partners REBIRTH Soccer to coordinate the visit of Ipswich Town and Middlesbrough FC.
Launched in 2023, the first International Summer Series saw a Halifax Wanderers U23 team face German professional side Holstein Kiel in a three-match series played in Moncton, Charlottetown, and Halifax. Several players on that Wanderers team have since signed professional contracts, including Camilo Vasconcelos (Halifax Wanderers) and Kimani Stewart-Baynes (Colorado Rapids, MLS).
Tickets for the International Summer Series are available now by clicking here.
ABOUT REBIRTH SOCCER: Rebirth Soccer is passionate about growing the soccer game in Canada from the U SPORTS level to CPL. We support the game via Soccer Scholarships, tours and forming links between Canada, the UK and Europe. At Rebirth Soccer we are not afraid to work differently to conventional companies and are keen that our morals and ethics are never compromised. We truly believe that it’s time Canada is put on the map.
ABOUT HALIFAX WANDERERS U21: The Wanderers U21 team is part of the Halifax Wanderers Development Team program. This team is comprised of players from the four Atlantic Canadian Provinces or players currently participating in Atlantic University Sport (AUS) soccer programs. The Development Team is a part of the Wanderers’ mission to give opportunities to local players in Atlantic Canada against high-level opposition and develop future players for the Wanderers’ first-team.
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