It’s hard to find a good news story coming out of the USA at the moment. Bucking that trend, Clapton CFC Men’s First Team will play New York International FC, coming straight from Mamdani’s New York, in a pre-season friendly at the Old Spotted Dog Ground on Saturday, July 18.

The teams share a connection in the form of Josh Adejokun. Josh played for Clapton Community from our first season until he emigrated during the 2022-23 promotion campaign. He was then put in touch with International through fans of the New York Cosmos with CCFC connections, also firing them to promotion. 

NY International currently sit comfortably mid-table in the Metropolitan Division of the American Premier Soccer League, the first level of semi-pro football in the States, with two further men’s teams playing in the lower Cosmopolitan Soccer League. 

Founded by Nick Platt in 2019, International also share an ethos with CCFC, in particular working with EVNYC, providing food and support to those in need and organising an annual charity 5 km in memory of former player Davide Giri.

That Saturday is also the day before the World Cup Final, a tournament not only compromised by being hosted in Trump’s America, but by FIFA’s position on a whole range of issues. So, if you want to see what international sporting solidarity can actually mean, come down to the Dog to experience our anti-final. We’ll be doing more on International and radical US football in the build-up to the day.