Editors note: The article from Wednesday we linked to below was pulled for apparently violating some kind of news embargo. A new article appeared on Thursday morning re-confirming the original article.

Kerith Gabriel reports at the Daily News that the Union have finalized the deal to host Real Madrid at the Linc on July 23.

The deal was signed on Wednesday morning.

“They were looking for a game on the East Coast and we are excited to play them,” Union CEO Nick Sackiewicz told Gabriel.

“It’s an honor to play these teams and we will always look to bring these types of teams in,” Sackiewicz continued. “We do this because we believe there is a misperception out there that our football is inferior to people who have never seen us play so this is a chance to prove those people wrong.”

The Real Madrid friendly falls on a day on which the Union were originally scheduled to play in Seattle. That game will now be played on October 8, a weekend in which MLS teams would otherwise be off for a FIFA international weekend.

The Union will host Everton at PPL Park on July 20, three days after they play Eastern Conference rivals New England Revolution away. That makes for three games in seven days.

The Real Madrid match is part of the World Football Challenge series of summer friendlies that includes friendlies involving Barcelona, Manchester United and Manchester City. Real Madrid will face LA Galaxy on July 16 and CD Guadalajara on July 20.

Ticket  and broadcast details for the Union match will be announced at a later date.