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Big news: Philadelphia is set to host its first all-star game in a decade when Major League Soccer brings its 2012 All-Star Game to PPL Park in July. (Photo courtesy Philadelphia Union)

Get excited, soccer fans.

Today, Major League Soccer and Mayor Michael Nutter officially announced that the 2012 MLS All-Star Game will be held at the beautiful PPL Park, home to the Philadelphia Union, on Wednesday, July 25.

The annual showcase event will feature three days of festivities, culminating in a match between the League’s top players and a renowned international club, to be announced at a later date.

This is the latest in a string of big-time soccer matches that have chosen Philadelphia as their preferred location, including the U.S. Men’s National Team vs. Mexico and Philadelphia Union vs. Real Madrid, both last summer.

Meanwhile, the 2012 AT&T MLS All-Star Game will be the first all-star event staged in the Philadelphia region in more than a decade. The last all-star game held in Philadelphia was the 2002 NBA All-Star Game.

As for the 18,500-seat PPL Park, which has been host to a match between the U.S. Men’s National Team and Colombia in October 2010, the 2011 USA Sevens Collegiate Rugby Championship this past June and, most recently, its first-ever MLS playoff game between the Union and the Houston Dynamos in October.

But the MLS All-Star game will bring huge, headlining talent to PPL Park grass.

And it’s not hard to see what the draw is — the park is located near the base of the Commodore Barry Bridge in Chester with sweeping views of the Delaware River. PPL Park also features a full-service restaurant, 30 luxury suites, a wide variety of concessions to keep fans well fed during the game, and expansive promenade areas outside the stadium for pregame activities.

And the Philadelphia Union have been hugely popular since their arrival in 2010. The Union have sold out the majority of games at PPL Park, which opened in June of 2010. The Union averaged more than 19,000 fans per game in 2010, their inaugural MLS season. Last year PPL Park attendance averaged 99% of capacity for Union regular season games.

As Mayor Nutter puts it, “The Philadelphia Union have quickly enhanced Philly’s sports traditions with the most dedicated MLS fan base in the nation. I have no doubt there will be a fantastic turnout for this year’s festivities.”

A note to all soccer fans: PPL Park provides a shuttle to and from the Chester Transport for all SEPTA Regional Rail riders. Shuttle service begins four hours before game time and will end after most fans have left the stadium. There’s also plenty of parking near the stadium, with space for tailgating (just saying).

We’ll have a lot more on this awesome event as the date approaches. Stay tuned.

2012 MLS All-Star Game
Where: PPL Park, One Stadium Drive, Chester
When: July 25
Cost: Stay tuned for ticket information
More info: www.mlssoccer.com