South Carolina Football: Williams-Brice Stadium to host English Premier League teams

South Carolina football fans have 7 chances to see a football game in Williams-Brice Stadium in 2024 (8 if one counts the Garnet and Black Spring Game). However, now Gamecock fans will be able to watch a different type of football game in Willy B.

According to a release from the University of South Carolina, this summer, there will be two high-profile visitors in Columbia as English Premier League teams Liverpool and Manchester United will play an exhibition in Williams-Brice Stadium.

South Carolina football coach Shane Beamer teased out the announcement on social media.

The two football (soccer) clubs are some of the most popular sports franchises in the world, and their fans will descend upon the Midlands of South Carolina on August 3rd for the third leg of a three-city American tour for the two teams being called the Rivals in Red Tour.

It will be one of the biggest non-South Carolina football events in the history of Williams-Brice Stadium and the first international soccer match.

Early tickets will go on sale for the first time on Monday.

Some modifications will have to be made to the playing field for the game (the field dimensions are to be between 112-115 yards long and 70-75 yards wide). To make room, the end zones and sidelines will make up part of the in-play portion of the pitch.

From the time the two England-based clubs play on August 3rd, South Carolina football will have four weeks left on the calendar before their first game of the season against the Old Dominion Monarchs. So, for any fans who may have concerns about getting the field ready again for the Gamecocks, the grounds crew at Williams-Brice Stadium will have quite a while to transition the field from being ready for "football" to being ready for football.