Major League Soccer released its schedule for the 2021 season on Wednesday with each of the league's 27 clubs set to play 34 games, 17 home and 17 away, over the course of the regular season. Here are all the details on how the two conferences will be aligned and how the schedule has been constructed for the coming season.
Eastern Conference |
Western Conference |
|---|---|
<div>Atlanta United</div> |
<div>Austin FC</div> |
<div>Chicago Fire FC</div> |
<div>Colorado Rapids</div> |
<div>FC Cincinnati</div> |
<div>FC Dallas</div> |
<div>Columbus Crew SC</div> |
<div>Houston Dynamo FC</div> |
<div>D.C. United</div> |
<div>Los Angeles FC</div> |
<div>Inter Miami CF</div> |
<div>LA Galaxy</div> |
<div>CF Montréal</div> |
<div>Minnesota United FC</div> |
<div>Nashville SC</div> |
<div>Portland Timbers FC</div> |
<div>New England Revolution</div> |
<div>Real Salt Lake</div> |
<div>New York City FC</div> |
<div>San Jose Earthquakes</div> |
<div>New York Red Bulls</div> |
<div>Seattle Sounders FC</div> |
<div>Orlando City SC</div> |
<div>Sporting Kansas City</div> |
<div>Philadelphia Union</div> |
<div>Vancouver Whitecaps FC</div> |
Toronto FC |
Schedule Construction
Eastern Conference
- The 14 Eastern Conference teams will play each of six regional Eastern Conference opponents three times (18 games) and the seven remaining Eastern Conference opponents twice (14 games)
- Eastern Conference teams will play two cross-conference games, facing a different Western Conference opponent for each of those matches (2 games)
Western Conference
- Eleven of the 13 Western Conference teams will play eight regional Western Conference opponents three times (24 games) and the remaining four Western Conference opponents twice (8 games)
- Those 11 Western Conference teams will play two cross-conference games, facing a different Eastern Conference opponent for each of those matches (2 games)
- Due to the odd number of clubs in the Western Conference, two Western Conference teams will have a slightly different schedule construction:
o Those two Western Conference teams will play seven Western Conference opponents three times (21 games), and the five remaining Western Conference opponents twice (10 games)
o They will play three cross-conference matches against three different Eastern Conference opponents (3 games)
