Kickoff is scheduled for 5 p.m. on Saturday, Feb. 9, 2013, with broadcast information to be announced at a later date. The announcement adds to a growing list of events that are each raising the profile of professional soccer in Jacksonville. Last May, the U.S. Men’s National Team helped to draw a crowd of more than 45,000 fans to EverBank Field to break a regional attendance record for a match of its kind. Last week, Mayor Alvin Brown announced a Major League Soccer presence in Jacksonville through a three-year agreement with the Philadelphia Union to play annual exhibition matches starting Feb. 15.

“These commitments go beyond sports to represent a vote of confidence in Jacksonville to produce a unique fan experience,” said Mayor Brown. “This is about building excitement to elevate the heartbeat of our city and draw visitors to our Downtown area. We have a great opportunity here to use this momentum to raise the discussion about Jacksonville at the national and international levels.”

February will be an exciting month for major events in Jacksonville. Along with the U.S. Women’s and Philadelphia Union soccer matches, Jacksonville also will be the site of the Davis Cup tennis championships starting Feb. 1 and Monster Jam on Feb. 23.

For the U.S. Women’s National Team, the Feb. 9 match will mark the first official game for new head coach Tom Sermanni, and in a quirk of scheduling, it will be against his native country. Sermanni, who hails from Glasgow, started his playing career there before moving on to England and then Australia, where he began his long coaching career. The team has experienced a great deal of success in recent years, having placed second in the 2011 FIFA Women’s World Cup before gold-medaling at the 2012 Olympic Games in London.

“It’s great to have the first game set and it’s even more exciting that my first opponent as the U.S. coach is against the country of my birth,” said Sermanni. “(Scotland coach) Anna (Signeul) has done a terrific job with the program and they have made great strides over the past four or five years. They are now a very competitive team in women’s international football. The first match is going to be something very new, but I’m really looking forward to getting started with this team.”

Tickets starting at $22 go on sale to the public Friday, Dec. 21, at 10 a.m. through ussoccer.com, by phone at (800) 745-3000 and at all Ticketmaster ticket centers throughout the Jacksonville area. There also are group rates and VIP packages available by visiting ussoccer.com or calling (312) 528-1290.