COLUMBIA, S.C. — Soccer fans across the Midlands and beyond are counting the hours until Saturday's big matchup at Williams-Brice Stadium. Crews have been busy all week long preparing for the Rivals in Red match between Manchester United and Liverpool.
If you’re one of the lucky ticketholders to this sold-out event, here’s what you need to know before you go.
South Carolina Highway Patrol Master Trooper William Bennett said traffic patterns will look familiar to Gamecock fans.
"This is a big deal you know, we’ve got Liverpool and Manchester United coming here to play. They're two big soccer clubs, so, the fact that they’re coming here, it’s going to draw a lot of people. I would expect a hundred thousand plus people here at the game, tailgating and a combination of both,” Bennett said.
Bennett explained how they plan to handle all the extra traffic on Saturday.
“We’re going to use the same traffic-control plan we use for the home football games for this soccer game,” Bennett said. "I think the biggest thing we’re going to have, though is that a lot of people are going to be coming here that have never been to Williams-Brice before. After the game, just like the home football games, we do lane reversals on Bluff Road, George Rogers, Rosewood, Assembly. And we do it that way to try and get all the traffic pushed away from the stadium as quickly as possible."
And there’s good news if you don’t want to battle with other drivers.
Scott Powers from Experience Columbia SC Sports said a shuttle will be available.
“The University of South Carolina is offering shuttle service from Colonial Life Arena. People can park at the arena or walk from their downtown hotel, or they can take their Uber or Lyft to the arena and for five dollars, they can jump on a shuttle bus and go to Williams-Brice stadium and back,” Powers said.
Fans traveled from far and wide to Columbia to catch their favorite teams in action, including Liverpool fan Peter Gallagher.
“I was born and raised in Liverpool, so I’m a devoted fan," Gallagher said.
When asked who he thought would win the friendly match, Gallagher was quick to respond.
"Oh, we’re going to win. It’s just a question of by how many (goals),” Gallagher said.
Stadium officials want to remind everyone that their clear bag policy is in effect for the Rivals in Red match and that backpacks, diaper bags and fanny packs are not allowed inside.
Coolers, seat cushions, and umbrellas are also prohibited.
Williams-Brice Stadium is a cashless facility, so you’ll need a credit or debit card or a mobile device with tap-to-pay to buy souvenirs. You can also purchase a payment card using one of their reverse ATMs.