Major European soccer club is coming back to Boise in 2020. And it may not be alone.

Spanish soccer club Athletic Bilbao will return to Boise in the summer of 2020, an organizer for the Basque Soccer Friendly confirmed to the Idaho Statesman on Friday night.

The second Basque Soccer Friendly will be July 25, 2020, the weekend leading up to Jaialdi, a celebration Boise’s Basque community hosts every five years.

Jason Hamilton, the head of marketing for the game, said Athletic Bilbao reached out to Boise after the success of the last game. He said an opponent has not been set yet, adding the second edition could feature more than one game and multiple days.

“It’s going to happen for sure,” Hamilton said. “At this point, we are exploring several options. We are exploring a multi-game format, with maybe an MLS team and two Basque teams. Or it could be ... women’s teams.”

Hamilton said the goal is to bring a professional club to Boise every five years during Jaialdi.

Athletic Bilbao faced Mexico’s Club Tijuana in front of 21,984 fans during the 2015 edition of the game. Boise State’s Albertsons Stadium hosted the friendly as organizers rolled out green grass over the Broncos’ famous blue turf.

Boise State again would host the game with grass installed, but Hamilton said a contract has not been finalized. La Liga, the top Spanish soccer league and one of Europe’s top circuits, also has reached out to promote the game, according to Hamilton.

Proceeds from the game go to Boise State’s Basque studies program.

This story was originally published July 26, 2019 at 7:57 PM.