New York City Football Club today announced that the first leg of the Club’s upcoming 2019 preseason will take place in Abu Dhabi.

Starting January 29, 2019, NYCFC will enjoy a preseason training camp ahead of friendlies vs. FC Copenhagen on February 3 and vs. Swedish champions AIK on February 8. This will be the second time NYCFC has visited the UAE capital.

Sporting Director Claudio Reyna commented on the trip: “This preseason will challenge our team in many different ways. We’ll experience different locations, venues and teams that will push us physically, mentally and tactically. We couldn’t be more excited to begin our preseason in Abu Dhabi.”

Head Coach Domènec Torrent continued: “FC Copenhagen and AIK will provide a challenging set of matches against two teams that regularly compete in the Champions League and Europa League. Our players will benefit greatly from these tests early on in the preseason as we look to mold the identity of our team heading into the 2019 season.”

FC Copenhagen is the most successful club in the history of Danish football, winning 12 Danish Championships and 8 Danish Cups since their founding in 1992. The club is a constant fixture in UEFA competitions, playing in either the Champions League or Europa League every season since 2001.

AIK are the defending Allsvenskan league champions and have claimed 12 Swedish championships and 8 Swedish Cups in their history. The club was founded in 1891 and holds the record for playing the most seasons in the Swedish top flight and has qualified for European play the last five seasons, including an appearance in next season’s UEFA Champions League.

During the visit, the NYCFC first team players will have the opportunity to meet and interact with UAE fans. Away from the pitch, the players and staff will be collaborating with NYCFC Principal partner Etihad Airways to create content for the upcoming season.

NYCFC is majority owned by His Highness Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan’s City Football Group, which also owns Manchester City FC and Melbourne City FC.