New Meadowlands: home of soccer

Is more proof needed that the Mexican National Team is the most popular soccer team in America?

Not really:

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. (AP) — The first event where all the stands at the New Meadowlands Stadium will be open is a sellout.

Mexico’s soccer exhibition against Ecuador on Friday night sold all its tickets, and a
capacity crowd of more than 75,000 is expected, promoter Soccer United Marketing said
Wednesday.

The only previous event at the $1.6 billion stadium was a college lacrosse tripleheader on April 10 that drew 25,710 in the lower bowl up to the club level.

The NFL’s Giants and Jets move in this summer.

Mexico will be missing Europe-based players, including defenders Rafael Marquez, Carlos Salcido and Ricardo Osorio; midfielders Andres Guardado and Jonathan Dos Santos, and forwards Giovani Dos Santos and Carlos Vela.

El Tri plays Senegal on Monday in Chicago and Angola on May 13 in Houston, then hosts Chile on May 16 in Mexico City during its exhibition tour. Mexico plays at England on May 24, meets the Netherlands in Freiberg, Germany, two days later and closes its World Cup warmup schedule against Italy on June 3 in Brussels.

Mexico plays host South Africa in the World Cup opener June 11, then completes the first round against France on June 17 and Uruguay on June 22.