SAN JOSE, Calif. – The Santa Clara Stadium Authority and the San Jose Earthquakes announced today that they have partnered to present the first event at Levi’s® Stadium. The Earthquakes will play host to Seattle Sounders FC in one of Major League Soccer’s most heated rivalries on August 2, 2014.

“We are proud to open Levi’s® Stadium against Sounders FC,” said Earthquakes President Dave Kaval. “Santa Clara and the 49ers are great partners and they are constructing a world-class venue that all the Bay Area can be proud of. We have seen great crowds around MLS over the past five years, especially in Seattle, but we are confident that this match will once again demonstrate that the Bay Area has the most passionate soccer fans in the country.”

“The Santa Clara Stadium Authority is extremely pleased to open Levi’s® Stadium with an event that showcases one of our region’s very own professional sports franchises, while allowing our community the opportunity to experience the premiere outdoor sports and entertainment venue in the world for the first time,” said Santa Clara Stadium Authority Executive Director Julio Fuentes.

“The sport of soccer has experienced tremendous growth and support in the United States in recent years, and Levi’s® Stadium looks forward to hosting many more world-class matches in years to come,” said Paraag Marathe, COO of the 49ers who booked the event on behalf of the Stadium Authority.

Earthquakes season ticket holders and Levi’s® Stadium SBL holders will have priority access to tickets for this event. Tickets for the general public go on sale at a later date. In order to ensure great seats at the match, fans should call the Earthquakes Front Office at 408-556-7700 to purchase season tickets today.

The match also continues to demonstrate the growth of MLS, as the Quakes will again host a regular season match at a large-scale venue. San Jose has played matches at Stanford Stadium the past three seasons with all those games topping 40,000 fans. The Earthquakes most recently defeated the LA Galaxy 3-2 on June 29 in front of 50,028 fans at Stanford Stadium.

Biggest Attendances in Club History

1. *73,123 – Earthquakes vs. D.C. United at Stanford Stadium, July 4, 1999

2. **61,572 – Earthquakes vs. Columbus Crew at Candlestick Park, August 8, 2009

3. 50,391 – Earthquakes vs. LA Galaxy at Stanford Stadium, June 30, 2012

4. 50,028 – Earthquakes vs. LA Galaxy at Stanford Stadium, June 29, 2013

5. 41,028 – Earthquakes vs. New York Red Bulls at Stanford Stadium, July 2, 2011

6. 39,872 – Earthquakes vs. LA Galaxy at Oakland-Alameda Coliseum, July 14, 2008 *Match played as first game of a doubleheader with U.S. Women’s National Team and Brazil during the FIFA Women’s World Cup.

**Match played as first game of a doubleheader with FC Barcelona and Chivas de Guadalajara.

About Levi’s® Stadium

Levi’s® Stadium will not only be the new home to the San Francisco 49ers, but it will also serve as one of the world’s best outdoor sports and entertainment venues. It was designed by HNTB and is being built by Turner/Devcon for the Santa Clara Stadium Authority. The $1.2 billion venue will have 1.85 million square feet, seat approximately 68,500 and will feature an expected 165 luxury suites and 8,500 club seats. It was designed to be a multi-purpose facility with the flexibility to host a wide range of events, including domestic and international soccer, college football, motocross, concerts and various civic events, and will be expandable for major events such as the Super Bowl. For more information, go to http://www.levisstadium.com/.