First team

SEVILLA FC CONTINUE THEIR INTERNATIONAL EXPANSION AND WILL GO TO JAPAN IN PRE-SEASON

The team will be there between 13 and 23 July, playing two matches, one of which is already arranged against Kashima Antlers

Sevilla FC, taking yet another step in the international expansion of their brand, will go to Japan in July, where they will begin their pre-season preparation as well as playing two friendlies. The squad will be there between 13 and 23 July.

One of those two matches has already been arranged to take place on 22 July against Kashima Antlers, one of the most renowned teams in the Japanese League. As well as that match, which will be played at Kashima's stadium, Borussia Dortmund will play Urawa Reds.

The Meiji Yasuda J.League World Challenge 2017 includes these two matches with the goal of offering Japanese fans the chance to see teams with internatinal status, while at the same time their strongest clubs will have the opportunity to gain experience against high quality teams that they would not usually face.

Some weeks ago the Sevilla FC Marketing Director, Ramón Loarte, as well as the travel coordinator, José Bernet, visited Japan to finalise the last details of the team's stay there. The club will soon provide more information, including the second side the team will face.

Over the past few seasons, Sevilla FC, through the club's marketing department, have been working on expanding their brand into markets where football is a growing sport. To that end, as well as July's trip to Japan, Sevilla FC visited Orlando in the United States last pre-season.

Kashima Antlers, the side that Sevilla FC are confirmed to face in Japan this July, are Japan's most successful club. In 2016 they won the league for the eighth time, and are the only team to have been in the J-League since its professionalisation. They also finished runners-up of the FIFA Club World Cup in 2016.