MLS Announces Home Openers For Each Club; LAFC to Open New Stadium in April
The 2017 MLS season is just days in the rear-view mirror, but the league is casting an eye on 2018 (and beyond, with the pending announcement of expansion to Nashville), with the unveiling of the home openers for each of the league's 23 clubs. Yes, 23.
LAFC joins the fold as an expansion team and will play its first game at the state-of-the-art Banc of California Stadium on April 29 against the Seattle Sounders. The Sounders will be on the opposing sideline for Bob Bradley's side's first match in MLS as well, with their March 4 clash at CenturyLink Field.
Defending champion Toronto FC, meanwhile, will at home in a rematch of the Eastern Conference final against the Columbus Crew on March 3 in the first game of the entire season slate. As for Columbus, its potential last home opener at Mapfre Stadium will be a week later against the Montreal Impact on March 10, as reports continue to swirl regarding a potential relocation to Austin, Texas.
D.C. United will open Audi Field at a to-be-determined date, but while its RFK Stadium days are over, there will still be fill-in solution for two home games before the soccer-specific stadium is ready for action. DCU's first home game will come March 17 against the Houston Dynamo at a site to be named.
Here is where and when every team will open its home slate for the league's 23rd season (all times Eastern).
EASTERN CONFERENCE
Atlanta United: March 11 vs. D.C. United (3 p.m.)
Chicago Fire: March 10 vs. Sporting Kansas City (Time TBD)
Columbus Crew: March 10 vs. Montreal Impact (1 p.m.)
D.C. United: March 17 vs. Houston Dynamo (Time, Site TBD)
Montreal Impact: March 17 vs. Toronto FC (3 p.m.)
New England Revolution: March 10 vs. Colorado Rapids (1:30 p.m.)
New York City FC: March 11 vs. LA Galaxy (5 p.m.)
New York Red Bulls: March 10 vs. Portland Timbers (7 p.m.)
Orlando City: March 3 vs. D.C. United (7:30 p.m.)
Philadelphia Union: March 3 vs. New England Revolution (Time TBD)
Toronto FC: March 3 vs. Columbus Crew (1 p.m.)
WESTERN CONFERENCE
Colorado Rapids: March 3 vs. Chicago Fire (9 p.m.)
FC Dallas: March 3 vs. Real Salt Lake (8 p.m.)
Houston Dynamo: March 3 vs. Atlanta United (3:30 p.m.)
LAFC: April 29 vs. Seattle Sounders (9 p.m.)
LA Galaxy: March 4 vs. Portland Timbers (10 p.m.)
Minnesota United: March 17 vs. Chicago Fire (Time TBD)
Portland Timbers: April 14 vs. Minnesota United (10:30 p.m.)
Real Salt Lake: March 10 vs. LAFC (3:30 p.m.)
San Jose Earthquakes: March 3 vs. Minnesota United (10:30 p.m.)
Seattle Sounders: March 4 vs. LAFC (5 p.m.)
Sporting Kansas City: March 4 vs. NYCFC (7:30 p.m.)
Vancouver Whitecaps: March 4 vs. Montreal Impact (6 p.m.)
