Hartford Athletic officials on Wednesday said the pro soccer club will face off against the Puerto Rico national soccer team at Dillon Stadium in August.
The Athletic (3-15-4), who joined the expanded United Soccer League (USL) in 2019, said the international friendly match vs. Puerto Rico’s men’s team will be held Saturday, Aug. 17, at 5 p.m. The match will occur between a two-week hiatus in the team’s 34-game regular season schedule.
“This will be a landmark event for Dillon Stadium, and a great opportunity to celebrate and recognize our Puerto Rican community,” Mayor Luke Bronin said in a statement.
It’s not clear whether the Athletic’s first-ever international match will be broadcast by WTNH News 8, which airs their home games on its sister station, WCTX MyTV9. A team spokesman said a television deal has not been finalized.
Tickets for the match will go on sale Aug. 1 at 10 a.m, the team said.
The Puerto Rican squad last played the U.S. men’s national soccer team in May 2016, losing 3-1.
Meantime, Hartford Sports Group, owners of the Athletic, is working to complete the $14 million rebuild of 84-year-old Dillon Stadium.
The 5,500-seat stadium was mostly ready when it hosted its first Hartford Athletic match on July 13. Construction delays forced the club to play its first seven home games at Pratt & Whitney Stadium at Rentschler Field in East Hartford.
Most work at Dillon will be completed in August, the team said Wednesday.
In the coming weeks, construction crews will be installing four 120-foot lighting poles in the coming months and are slated to complete additional landscaping on the property, among other pending renovations. A “pub” area where fans can buy drinks and food is also being planned, team officials said.
Restrooms at the stadium are now operational after portable toilets were used during its home opener earlier this month.
The Athletic have seven remaining home games scheduled between Aug. 10 and Oct. 19.
