As next Saturday's international exhibition against Guatemalan power Communicaciones FC quickly approaches, the Chattanooga Football Club announced it will host another international power.
On Memorial Day weekend the 11th-year local soccer club will play Real Betis of Seville, Spain, which is a member of the men's top professional division of the Spanish league called La Liga.
The match will be played on Saturday, May 25, with a 6 p.m. kickoff at Finley Stadium. It gives CFC 24 matches for 2019, the most in one season for the club.
Both international matches are free to those who hold season passes.
"This is an incredible opportunity for our players to match up against some of the world's best players," Chattanooga FC president Sheldon Grizzle said in a club release. "Betis is one of Europe's most storied clubs. Bringing the world's game to Chattanooga has long been in our DNA, and we are honored to offer this to our fans, players and coaching staff."
Real Betis was established in 1907 and has won 12 Spanish championships over the last century. The roster is filled with talented players, such as Mexican national team captain Andrés Guardado (midfielder) and 18-year-old Diego Lainez (forward), who is considered a budding phenom.
In its first trip to play in the United States, Real Betis will face Major League Soccer franchise D.C. United on May 22 before heading to Chattanooga.
"Chattanooga FC is a young club with a lot of potential and great interest on expanding on the U.S. soccer market," Real Betis general manager Ramon Alarcon said. "We are excited to enjoy the atmosphere at Finley Stadium."
Tickets for the May 25 match are on sale for $30. They will cost $40 on game day.
Chattanooga FC recently surpassed $600,000 raised by its community ownership model.
Contact Patrick MacCoon at pmaccoon@timesfreepress.com. Follow him on Twitter @PMacCoon.