International soccer returning to Charlotte this summer. Which teams are in play?

After a one-year hiatus, international soccer is headed back to Charlotte this summer.

The International Champions Cup, an international soccer tournament that features 18 of the world's best clubs, will make its return to Charlotte this summer. Charlotte previously hosted International Champions Cup matches from 2014 to 2016, but did not host one in 2017.

Past games have been played at Bank of America Stadium, and the same is expected in 2018.

The Carolina Panthers — whose preseason schedule begins at Bank of America stadium in early August — are required to provide five rent-free days a year to the city of Charlotte in exchange for using taxpayer money to renovate the stadium.

But Charlotte has not always used all its available days, for a number of reasons (stadium renovations can make scheduling difficult, and even with free rent, it can be difficult to find profitable events). The college football kickoff game in September and the Belk Bowl in December were the only two other days the city has planned to date.

So, which teams might fans expect to see?

If past contests are any indication, Charlotte should be in the running for some top-quality teams. Previous visitors include Liverpool and A.C. Milan in 2014, Chelsea and Paris Saint-Germain in 2015, and Bayern Munich and Internazionale in 2016.

Among the 18 clubs in this year's tournament are all four UEFA Champions League semifinalists — Liverpool, Roma, Bayern Munich, and Real Madrid — as well as the top six teams in the English Premier League.

The teams will be revealed next Thursday at 11 a.m. at Romare Bearden Park as part of a national announcement. The event is open to the public and will include giveaways and photo opportunities.

This story was originally published April 13, 2018 at 3:34 PM with the headline "International soccer returning to Charlotte this summer. Which teams are in play?."