The New York Red Bulls will host English Premier League giants Manchester City and Tottenham Hotspur in the inaugural New York Football Challenge this summer.
Portugal's Sporting Lisbon has also been named as a tentative participant in the tourney, which will take place at Red Bull Arena from July 22-25.
“The New York Football Challenge 2010 is an important one for us," Manchester City manager Roberto Mancini told his club's official website. "We have big ambitions for the Premier League next season, and this tournament will give us the perfect opportunity to prepare for our season with some highly competitive games, enthusiastic supporters and world-class facilities. It is also a great chance for us to show our ability as a team to our supporters in America.
Manchester City, who boast world-class talent such as Carlos Tévez and Emmanuel Adebayor on their roster, are currently battling Spurs for a top-four finish in England's top flight.
Spurs, who are led by manager Harry Redknapp, were runners-up in this year's English League Cup. They also have an official partnership with the San Jose Earthquakes and, a source tells MLSsoccer.com, will start their U.S. visit on the West Coast.
The tournament will give Red Bulls head coach Hans Backe a chance to reacquaint himself with a former employer. Backe served as an assistant coach at Manchester City during the 2007 season when Sven-Göran Eriksson was in charge.
