ORLANDO, Fla. — The Florida Cup is set for the City Beautiful this weekend but it will be happening without two big name European teams due to COVID-19.


What You Need To Know

  •  The Florida Cup starts in Orlando on Sunday

  • One of the major teams participating in the event, Arsenal, pulled out due to positive COVID cases

  • Inter Milan then canceled its trip to the Florida Cup, citing concerns about traveling safely during the pandemic

Officials with Arsenal announced on Twitter they were pulling out of the Florida Cup after finding "a small number of positive COVID tests among the planned party to travel to America tomorrow." Shortly after that, Inter Milan announced on its website that the team would not be participating "due to the current risks involved in international travel as a result of the spread of the pandemic."

“Unfortunate news, and we had to react fast to it,” said Florida Cup CEO Ricardo Vilar.

Crews are still getting ready for the Florida Cup, which starts Sunday with Millonares from Columbia against Everton from England.

“It will be players who were at the Euro's, and obviously Millonares going to play in a unique match and the Columbian fans, I think the high level is still going to be there,” Vilar said

Vilar is still excited about the Florida Cup, but with the two big name backing out the tournament, they had to refund all the tickets for the Sunday matches.

“The tickets were refunded, that was 35,000 plus,” he said.

Vilar said about 50% of the fans were coming to the Florida Cup from outside the Orlando area.

Organizers said the fans affected received refunds automatically. Tickets for Sunday are now being resold for $20.

The competition changes could impact local businesses.

“It sucks they had to drop out, it definitely will affect us,” said Harry Buffalo Assistant Manager Melissa Archer.

Archer believes they could have had big sales with all four teams playing, but remain hopeful for a busy weekend.

“I still think we will get a bigger crowd than if there was nothing going on,” she said.

Organizers are working to schedule games for Wednesday and set ticket prices.

“Hopefully the crowd that was going to come, continues to come and enjoy the event,” said Vilar.