George Mason athletics facilities draw international usage

George Mason University's Fairfax Campus is becoming a popular destination for international soccer. Over the summer, George Mason Athletics hosted four international soccer programs: the Argentina men's national team, the Celtic FC men's team, the Aston Villa FC men's team, and the Arsenal FC women's team.

The biggest name to step on the field at George Mason Stadium came this summer when eight-time Ballon d'Or winner and international sensation Lionel Messi trained with the Argentina National team in Fairfax before competing in a Copa América Cup match at Northwest Stadium in Landover, Maryland. 

The reigning World Cup champions, Argentina, had planned to practice in Miami where they had the security measures in place for Messi, but a storm system threatened to strand them in Miami, making them unable to compete in their game in Washingon, D.C. So, with just a few days' notice, they thought of George Mason and asked to use our facilities. The Athletics events and facilities team coordinated training times, locker room usage, and the proper security to allow Argentina to train in Fairfax, and eventually go on to win the 2024 Copa América Cup.

It wasn't just this summer that George Mason has drawn international attention by hosting teams from around the world though. The university has had teams come on and off for years, but it was the summer of 2023 when the Arsenal men's team was looking for a place to train while gearing up to play the MLS All-Stars at Audi Field that some external money was invested in making the soccer fields world-class.

In 2023, after the Arsenal men trained at George Mason, the Pumas UNAM men's team from Mexico and the Aston Villa FC men's team from England came for the first time. The success of these visits helped George Mason gain the international reputation of being a good spot to train for teams doing summer tours in the United States, which many teams do.

"Some of the big attractions that draw teams to us is we're one of the few universities or facilities in this area that has two natural grass fields right next to each other," said Todd Bramble, deputy athletic director for Intercollegiate Sports. "There are so many schools that maybe have one really good field, but teams sometimes like to be able to utilize two fields. And most schools in this area have fields that are artificial turf, and the teams want nothing to do with that."

Being on the East Coast near two international airports also helps European teams with shorter travel, and the university's proximity to Washington, D.C., allows teams to experience the nation's capital as well.  

"Our top tier fields and facilities enable us to host these world-class teams and expose the international soccer community to George Mason University," said Marvin Lewis, assistant vice president, director of athletics. "Thanks to the leadership and commitment of our amazing facilities and events team, we've provided high-level experiences and outstanding service to the international clubs, which keeps them coming back."

Aston Villa returned to George Mason this year because of the great visit they had in 2023, even though they had no games in the Washington, D.C., metro area. They used Fairfax as their home base and chartered planes to go to their games in Ohio, New York, and Chicago.

After the Arsenal men's team was in Fairfax in 2023, they recommended George Mason to their women's program, which was looking to take their program on an international tour for the first time. The arrangement ended up being even more of a perfect fit because Arsenal's game in D.C. was set to be the return of Northern Virginia native Emily Fox, who was returning to the team after winning the 2024 Olympic gold medal with Team USA.

These international program visits also benefit the staff and student-athletes of George Mason. The soccer teams have been invited to private training sessions to gain inspiration and exposure from the players. The soccer coaches, strength and conditioning coaches, and athletic training staff share their spaces with the teams and have the opportunity to network. The teams also pay a rental fee to use the space, and that money is put back into George Mason’s programs, enhancing the experiences of the student-athletes.   

"Hosting these types of events offers an excellent educational opportunity for our staff and coaches, as they witness up-close training regimens from different professional teams," said Lewis. "This positions them with a unique chance to exchange knowledge with others excelling in this competitive environment that is always looking for an edge."