The anticipatory wait is over and the dates are finally set. Sporting Kansas City released its 2019 MLS regular season schedule on Monday, allowing players, coaches and fans alike to map out the year ahead.
While a handful of matchups pop out on paper, compelling stats and storylines surround all 34 games. We blaze through each fixture in our rapid-fire rundown below — all in a maximum of 140 characters.
<strong>DATE</strong> |
<strong>OPPONENT</strong> |
<strong>FAST FACT</strong> |
Sunday, March 3 |
at LAFC |
LAFC suffered just one regular-season home loss during their inaugural 2018 campaign, a 2-0 setback to Sporting KC on Aug. 11. |
<strong>Sunday, March 10</strong> |
<strong>PHILADELPHIA UNION</strong> |
Last year Philadelphia set regular-season club records for wins (15) and points (50) but lost in the Open Cup Final for the third time since 2014. |
Sunday, March 17 |
at Colorado Rapids |
St. Patrick's Day will see Sporting go head-to-head with Rapids striker Diego Rubio, who spent his first three MLS seasons in Kansas City. |
<strong>Saturday, March 30</strong> |
<strong>MONTREAL IMPACT</strong> |
Sporting are 9-1-5 in March home games at Children's Mercy Park, including a 2-0 win over Montreal on March 30, 2013. |
Sunday, April 7 |
at FC Cincinnati |
Sporting KC has handed six different teams their first-ever regular season loss in their current home stadium. Could FCC become No. 7? |
<strong>Sunday, April 14</strong> |
<strong>NEW YORK RED BULLS</strong> |
RBNY set post-shootout era MLS records last year for wins (22) and points (71) en route to their third Supporters' Shield title since 2013. |
Saturday, April 20 |
at San Jose Earthquakes |
Since June 2016, Sporting is 5-0-2 in the state of California with four shutouts and a plus-nine goal difference. |
<strong>Saturday, April 27</strong> |
<strong>NEW ENGLAND REVOLUTION</strong> |
Sporting begin a stretch of five home games in six matches against a New England side that is 1-7-2 in their last 10 trips to Kansas City. |
<strong>Sunday, May 5</strong> |
<strong>ATLANTA UNITED FC</strong> |
Sporting beat the eventual MLS Cup champions by a 2-0 scoreline in 2018, becoming the first team to shut out Atlanta on the road. |
Sunday, May 12 |
at D.C. United |
In their inaugural trip to Audi Field, Sporting will battle D.C. forward and English soccer legend Wayne Rooney for the first time. |
<strong>Saturday, May 18</strong> |
<strong>VANCOUVER WHITECAPS FC</strong> |
Vancouver head coach Marc Dos Santos returns to Kansas City, having coached the Swope Park Rangers to a Western Conference title in 2016. |
<strong>Sunday, May 26</strong> |
<strong>SEATTLE SOUNDERS FC</strong> |
Sporting are 3-0-2 in their last five home games against Seattle, a stretch that includes three shutouts. |
<strong>Wednesday, May 29</strong> |
<strong>LA GALAXY</strong> |
The Galaxy are 0-4-4 all-time at Children's Mercy Park and 0-5-6 in their last 11 visits to Kansas City dating back to 2008. |
Saturday, June 1 |
at Houston Dynamo |
Sporting embark on their first of four straight away games, their longest road swing in a single season since 2015. |
Friday, June 7 |
at Toronto FC |
Sporting are 11-1-4 in their last 16 meetings with Toronto, including a 6-0-3 record in their last nine. |
Sunday, June 23 |
at Columbus Crew SC |
This could be one of the last times goalkeeper Zach Steffen plays for Columbus, as he is set to join Manchester City in July 2019. |
Saturday, June 29 |
at Real Salt Lake |
After knocking Real Salt Lake out of the U.S. Open Cup and MLS Cup Playoffs in 2018, Sporting look to keep an upper hand in the rivalry. |
<strong>Wednesday, July 3</strong> |
<strong>LAFC</strong> |
Sporting finally return home for an early Fourth of July celebration, facing an explosive LAFC side that led the West with 68 goals in 2018. |
<strong>Saturday, July 6</strong> |
<strong>CHICAGO FIRE</strong> |
An old-school MLS rivalry is rekindled as Sporting face the club they beat in the 2000 MLS Cup and 2004 U.S. Open Cup Final. |
Saturday, July 13 |
at Vancouver Whitecaps FC |
Sporting boast an 11-7-8 record on Canadian soil in the MLS regular season, including a 3-2-2 mark in Vancouver. |
<strong>Saturday, July 20</strong> |
<strong>FC DALLAS</strong> |
Sporting are 8-1-2 in their last 11 home meetings with FC Dallas across all competitions, scoring 28 goals and conceding 10. |
Friday, July 26 |
at New York City FC |
Sporting's two-game losing streak to New York City FC is their longest active regular-season skid against any MLS opponent. |
Sunday, Aug. 4 |
at Seattle Sounders FC |
Sporting went 4-1-1 in the Pacific time zone last season, with the lone loss coming by a 3-1 scoreline at Seattle. |
<strong>Saturday, Aug. 10</strong> |
<strong>REAL SALT LAKE</strong> |
A home-heavy month of August includes a rematch of Sporting's wild 4-2 playoff win over RSL last season on Veteran's Day. |
Wednesday, Aug. 14 |
at Orlando City SC |
Orlando conceded 74 goals during the 2018 regular season, the most by any club in MLS history. |
<strong>Saturday, Aug. 17</strong> |
<strong>SAN JOSE EARTHQUAKES</strong> |
Sporting have won 11 of their last 12 regular-season home meetings against the Earthquakes, including a 3-2 win last year. |
<strong>Thursday, Aug. 22</strong> |
<strong>MINNESOTA UNITED FC</strong> |
In four home games against Minnesota across all competitions, Sporting are 4-0-0 with 13 goals scored and one conceded. |
<strong>Saturday, Aug. 31</strong> |
<strong>HOUSTON DYNAMO</strong> |
The 2018 campaign saw Sporting sweep the regular-season series with Houston for the first time ever. |
Saturday, Sept. 7 |
at Portland Timbers |
Sporting have shut out Portland in eight of the last 10 regular-season meetings, including five of the last six held at Providence Park. |
Sunday, Sept. 15 |
at LA Galaxy |
Sporting are unbeaten in their last eight regular-season meetings against LA, going 4-0-4 since October 2015. |
<strong>Saturday, Sept. 21</strong> |
<strong>COLORADO RAPIDS</strong> |
Sporting own a 20-5-5 regular-season home record against Colorado, who have finished last in MLS in goals scored for two straight seasons. |
Wednesday, Sept. 25 |
at Minnesota United FC |
Sporting make their inaugural trip to state-of-the art Allianz Field, just a six-hour drive from Kansas City. |
<strong>Sunday, Sept. 29</strong> |
<strong>PORTLAND TIMBERS</strong> |
In their 2019 home finale, Sporting will look to exact revenge in a rematch of last year's Western Conference Championship. |
Sunday, Oct. 6 |
at FC Dallas |
The 2019 season comes to a climactic end on Decision Day when Sporting visit Toyota Stadium, where they prevailed 3-0 last October. |
