The Music Plaza Stage at Universal Studios Florida will get some international flair when Brazilian pop star Ivete Sangalo tops the bill for the 2019 Florida Cup Fan Fest on January 11.
Sangalo isn’t a household name in the U.S., but she’s a major star in Brazil, having sold more than 17 million albums. She’s also the first Brazilian performer to sell out Madison Square Garden.
“We are so thrilled to welcome an international icon such as Ivete to our event,” Richard Villar, Florida Cup CEO, said in a press release.
Bringing in a Brazilian star for the Florida Cup complements the Brazilian soccer clubs which participate in the exhibition tournament. The 2018 Florida Cup featured three teams from the country’s top soccer league, the Brasileirão.
2017 winners Sao Paulo FC will return for the 2019 competition along with Amsterdam’s AFC Ajax, first-time participants and one of the top clubs in the Netherlands. Only two more teams are set to be announced, cutting back from the event’s usual eight- to 12-team field. Full details will be announced in September, event organizers said, along with the schedule of matches and host venues.
The 2018 edition saw games played at both Orlando City Stadium and the University of Central Florida’s Spectrum Stadium. In prior years, matches had been held at the ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex at Walt Disney World.
That was before the Florida Cup began working with Universal Orlando. Universal’s first year hosting the Fan Fest included a concert by Brazilian country music stars Fernando and Sorocaba.
“Our partnership with the Florida Cup this past year was a great success, and we’ll continue building on that foundation in 2019,” Universal’s vice president of international sales for Latin America, Marcos Barros, said in a press release. “Thrilling entertainment and next-level vacation experiences is at the core of what we do, and together with the Florida Cup we are looking forward to giving our international visitors an experience like no other.”
Sangalo’s concert will included with admission to Universal Studios Florida. Universal said it will soon release vacation packages for the event which will include theme park tickets, on-site hotel accommodations and Florida Cup tickets.