Top German soccer teams will scrimmage, coach and mentor in Colorado for two weeks in July, a series of events aiming to elevate the state’s profile among international tourists and supercharge the already vibrant soccer scene.

The Colorado Cup is a big deal for soccer fans. They’ll get to see Bundesliga teams Mainz 05 and Mönchengladbach practice and play against two top-tier, though still unnamed, teams from Mexico.

And for tourism officials statewide, the multi-city program July 9-21 — and two related potential broadcast deals — promises the chance to market summer Colorado tourism to international travelers, who typically spend more than any other type of visitor.

Mainz 05 and Mönchengladbach will train in Vail and at the Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs, offering player camps, coaching clinics and other public events around players who rank as heroes in Europe.

The teams also will play friendly contests against teams from Mexico in high caliber competition at Sports Authority Field at Mile High and the Air Force Academy.

For International soccer fans, this is akin to a prolonged visit from the Denver Broncos or Green Bay Packers. (Incidentally, Bundesliga rules require that fans retain at least 51 percent ownership of each team, similar to the publicly owned Packers.)

Bundesliga players are revered around the world. While they may not be instantly recognized in the U.S., the Colorado Cup hopes to change that.

Just as the NFL is scheming ways to grow its international presence with possible games in South America, Europe and China, the Bundesliga is vying to elevate its profile abroad, especially among the 3.5 million kids who play soccer in the U.S.

So the teams are working with soccer clubs in Vail, Denver and Colorado Springs to develop clinics and events around their training camps.

“Players can learn by just watching some of the best players in the game. There’s a real transfer there. We are hoping their practices will be open to the public so players and coaches can learn and they can share their knowledge with us,” said Colorado Soccer Association coaching director Mike Freitag. “It’s pretty exciting.”

For Colorado’s tourism and economic development leaders, it’s a big deal for a different reason.

Yes, the soccer will be impressive. But a possible broadcast agreement for the Sports Authority and Air Force Academy games with Fox Sports, which started televising live Bundesliga matches in August as part of a multi-year agreement, could help beam Colorado’s summer scenery to as many as 200 countries.

The exact dates in July for those contests are not set. Justin Rose, an Arapahoe High school grad whose Frankfurt, Germany-based JJR Consulting group is hosting the event, said he is working with Mexican networks to broadcast the games as well.

“I think for us the potential to market Colorado in association with the Bundesliga league and Germany and some of the clubs from Mexico, that’s a big benefit,” said Michael Driver, the director of international marketing for the Colorado Tourism Office, which hasn’t pledged financial support yet but might.

Four teams — each with as many as 40 staff and players — plus tourists coming to watch training sessions or participate in camps or events could pay off in a big way, especially if those fans come from abroad.

International travelers are the most coveted visitors, leaving more money in their wake than than any other type of tourist. Denver International Airport, which already has direct flights to London, Reykjavik and Frankfurt, will add a direct flight to Munich in May, bolstering the state’s effort to grow international traffic.

“It’s a big deal,” said Tammy Fields, the head of economic development for the Colorado Springs Regional Business Alliance. “Just having that opportunity to expose Colorado Springs to an international market and to soccer in general and building a brand from that, we are excited.”

Both Colorado Springs, with its U.S. Olympic Committee and many Olympic governing body headquarters, and Vail, with World Cup skiing, the U.S.A. Pro Challenge and annual lacrosse and volleyball rallies , are well known as sporting locales worldwide.

“This one is certainly aligned with the Vail brand,” Vail Valley Partnership president Chris Romer said. “We’re embracing it and think it’s a great fit for the community as well as the state of Colorado.”

Rose, a one-time aspiring pro-level player who has been working on the Colorado Cup for three years, hopes the 12-day soccer celebration catches fire in Colorado.

He’s enlisting the state’s soccer-loving kids and more than 30 soccer clubs to help fan the flames. He’s offering discount tickets to clubs and teams that they can sell to generate revenue.

Each ticket sold will help the Bundesliga team’s own youth soccer academies, part of JJR Consulting’s “Funding Ones Freedom” social enterprise that supports student exchanges between young European soccer players and U.S. soccer clubs.

“This is not just about a ball,” Rose said. “It’s about an experience and learning more about international cultures and languages.”

Jason Blevins: 303-954-1374, jblevins@denverpost.com or @jasonblevins