Chelsea and Celtic prepare for match at Notre Dame Stadium

 

SOUTH BEND, Ind. -- For the first time since 2019, Notre Dame will host two international soccer clubs in the house that Rockne Built.

As Notre Dame gears up for football season, they're making a quick pivot to host a preseason friendly/exhibition match on Saturday at 4 p.m.

"My first time here, my first time ever in Indiana as well, I think. But yeah, I mean, obviously first time around here today and you know, the facilities are amazing and today it's kind of our first full day but um, you know, definitely nice kind of walking around here and seeing the, the Irish clover and stuff like that on walls and stuff like that," said Celtic defender and member of US Men's National Soccer Team, Cameron Carter-Vickers.

Chelsea, a six-time English Premier League Champion Team, facing Celtic. The Scottish Football Club who won the first European Cup in 1967.

"The actual connection between Notre Dame here and Celtic how it was formed post 1888 for the reasons very much the same. So the connection between putting Celtic in here, it's obviously been real nice to understand that," said Celtic Manager Brenden Rodgers.

The Scottish club was founded by an Irish-Catholic Priest, therefore bringing strong connects to their match at Notre Dame. That special bond, bringing Irish and Celtic fans from all over the world. Such as Joel McPhee, traveling from Toronto with members of the Bramalea Celtic Club. 

"We're a massive family. We're come down to watch sell to play. Played Chelsea tomorrow. We're all excited. We've come down early, hopefully to see some of the training here today," McPhee said.

That support has been both shocking and appreciated by Celtic players.

"Right from you know when we first got in Washington you know you walk around the city and see green and white shirts which you know for me it was surprising and it's been the same if we went to him in North Carolina and now same here so you know it's definitely great it's a great feeling for us and you know we just want to you know go out there and perform in front of them fans and you know hopefully send them home happy," Carter-Vickers added.