TORONTO 2015 Pan Am Games Football Schedule Released Following Official Draw

Canadian Men to play Brazil in Opening Session

TORONTO, April 24, 2015 /CNW/ - The highly anticipated TORONTO 2015 Pan Am Games football (soccer) schedule was determined today. With Canada playing Brazil in the men's opener, tickets are expected to sell fast. Fans are encouraged to get their tickets now.

The men's and women's soccer schedules were determined in a live draw by representatives of the Confederation of North, Central American and Caribbean Association Football (CONCACAF) in conjunction with the TORONTO 2015 Pan Am/Parapan Am Games Organizing Committee (TO2015).

"The excitement of today's draw is evidence of the energy behind the Pan Am soccer tournament," said Dwayne De Rosario, who was a member of Team Canada at the 1999 Pan Am Games in Winnipeg and the team's all-time leading scorer. "TORONTO 2015 will be a great opportunity for soccer fans throughout Canada and the Americas to see world-class soccer up close. With this lineup, there is going to be some tough competition and quality matches."

Hosted in the new CIBC Hamilton Pan Am Soccer Stadium, the TORONTO 2015 Pan Am soccer tournament will be one of the highlights of the Games. Tickets for the men's and women's tournaments, which are already top sellers, offer a great deal: with every preliminary round ticket purchased, fans will be able to see two back-to-back games for the price of one.

"Soccer is one of the most popular sports in the world. It's not a surprise that it's one of our top selling TORONTO 2015 tickets." Said Saäd Rafi, chief executive officer, TO2015. "This summer's tournament offers fans a chance to witness top players from across the America's in intense competition and the passionate displays of national pride that are often associated with the game. This is what the Pan Am Games are all about."

The men's competitions will be well-rounded, with top competing countries such as Canada playing at the Games for the first time since 1999. Then there are the traditional powerhouses such as Brazil, Mexico and Uruguay. The Canadian men's team has played in two Pan Am semifinals, both times on home soil. The Mexican team enters the tournament as defending champion while the Brazilians are four-time Pan Am gold-medal winners. Other teams in the men's tournament include Peru, Panama, Trinidad and Tobago, and Paraguay.  

The competition will also be strong in the women's competitions with Canada, defending champion, and Brazil, two-time Pan Am gold-medal winners, expected to be top contenders. The two teams went head to head in a shootout in Guadalajara in 2011. Other teams in the women's tournament include Mexico, Colombia, Costa Rica, Ecuador, Argentina and Trinidad and Tobago.

Canada's men's football schedule:

• Sunday, July 12 Canada vs. Brazil FB003
• Thursday, July 16 Canada vs. Panama FB007
• Monday, July 20 Canada vs. Peru FB011

Canada's women's football schedule: 

• Saturday, July 11 vs. Canada vs. Ecuador FB002
• Wednesday, July 15 Canada vs. Costa Rica FB006
• Sunday, July 19 Canada vs. Brazil  FB010

News Editors please note: B-roll will be available through an FTP site post-event:
http://partner.corusinteractive.com/panam/panam-soccerdraw-april24.zip.

To view the full TORONTO 2015 football schedule for both the men's and women's tournament and to purchase tickets, visit TORONTO2015.org/tickets.

The TORONTO 2015 Pan Am Games ticket program is designed to be affordable and accessible for everyone by offering:

Integrated tickets: Every event ticket will allow the holder to access transit on the day of the event.

Affordable pricing: Tickets start at just $20, with 75 per cent of tickets priced $45 and under.

Half-price tickets for persons under 16 years of age, or 65 and over: Tickets will be offered at a 50 per cent discount — some will start at $10. The number of discounted tickets is limited, so buy early.

Tickets for Parapan Am sporting events will range from $20 to $35 for adults, with a youth (under 16) and senior (65+) discount from $10 to $12.50 available, depending on the event. The number of discounted tickets is limited, so don't delay.

Easy options for buying: Tickets can be purchased online at TORONTO2015.org/tickets or at 1.855.726.2015 and internationally at 1.949.333.4824.

About TO2015

The TORONTO 2015 Pan American Games will take place July 10–26 and the Parapan American Games August 7–15. The TORONTO 2015 Games are funded by the Government of Canada, the Province of Ontario, as well as Lead Partner CIBC and other partners and sponsors

The TORONTO 2015 Pan Am/Parapan Am Games Organizing Committee (TO2015) is tasked with managing and delivering the Games. It is working to bring some of the world's best athletes and artists to Toronto and the Greater Golden Horseshoe region, giving Ontarians a unique chance to be part of the action, and making the region a hub for sport.

 For more information about the Games, please visit TORONTO2015.org or follow @TO2015, @TO2015_fr (French) or @TO2015_es (Spanish).

SOURCE Toronto 2015 Pan/Parapan American Games

For further information: Teddy Katz, Director, media relations and chief spokesperson, TO2015, 416.957.2117, [email protected]