Arsenal will play Sydney FC and Western Sydney Wanderers at ANZ Stadium in July 2017

ARSENAL will play pre-season friendlies with Sydney FC and Western Sydney in July 2017 at ANZ Stadium as part of a partnership deal with Destination NSW.

FOLLOWING the success of Manchester United, Tottenham and Chelsea’s visits to Sydney in recent years, it was a “no brainer” that Arsenal would soon follow suit.

The English Premier League giants, who boast superstars Alexis Sanchez, Mesut Ozil and Petr Cech, have been confirmed as the next high profile football club to play friendly matches in the Harbour City, but this time both Sydney FC and the Western Sydney Wanderers will be involved in the two-match tour.

Both games will take place at ANZ Stadium in July 2017 and Arsenal’s chief commercial officer, Vinai Venkatesham, says it wasn’t as difficult as most would have thought to get the club’s manager Arsene Wenger to commit to the long trip.

“We have this phrase or saying at Arsenal — ‘football first’ — and what that means is the most important thing is giving the team the biggest possible chance of being successful on the pitch and we won’t do things that compromise that,” he said.

“The reason we’re here is because we’re comfortable that we won’t be compromising what we’re able to do on the pitch. I wouldn’t be here making the announcement if Arsene wasn’t 100 per cent supportive of what we’re doing.

“If you look back at those teams (Manchester United, Chelsea and Spurs) and the visits they’ve had here, I think the thing that ties them all together is all the teams have gone away and said it’s been absolutely fantastic.”

Western Sydney Wanderers Chairman Paul Lederer holds the FA Cup with Sydney FC Chairman Scott Barlow. Picture: Brett Costello

“The players have enjoyed it, the staff have enjoyed it, and everyone’s had a great experience. You watch the games and see full stadiums, vocal crowds and a great atmosphere, so you put all those things together in one of the world’s greatest cities, it becomes a bit of a no-brainer to bring the team out here.”

The fact that Arsenal will face two local clubs with strong fan bases in Sydney and the Wanderers was another drawcard for Arsenal, with Western Sydney hosting a high-profile foreign club in a friendly for the first time.

Arsenal announce a two-match tour to Sydney in 2017.

Wanderers chairman Paul Lederer and CEO John Tsatsimas met with Arsenal’s chief executive Ivan Gazidis in London earlier this year, where a good relationship was established.

“It’s a fantastic opportunity for the Western Sydney Wanderers to make their mark,” Tsatsimas said. “We’re excited to have Arsenal come to these shores in play the Wanderers as part of a bigger picture.

“There’s a massive Arsenal fan base here in Australia, so it will be red all the way in July 217. But it’s a fantastic opportunity for both clubs and we have the greatest respect for Sydney as well.”

As part of the agreement, orchestrated by ANZ Stadium and Destination NSW, Arsenal’s Emirates Stadium will display NSW signage at all home games for the next 18 months.

Originally published as Arsenal will play Sydney FC and Western Sydney Wanderers at ANZ Stadium in July 2017