Just days after the conclusion of the 2021 MLS season, we know our foes for 2022.
Sporting Kansas City released its 2022Â MLS regular season schedule on Wednesday afternoon - and now it's time to look ahead to what's at stake in each matchup.
Sunday, Feb. 27 | at Atlanta United FC | 2 p.m. CT | FS1
Sporting opens with a nationally televised contest in what will be the club's second-ever visit to Mercedes-Benz Stadium, having claimed a 2-0 victory there in 2018 - the same year Atlanta won MLS Cup.
Saturday, March 5 | HOUSTON DYNAMO FC | 2:30 p.m. CT | Univision
For the second time in three years, Sporting's home opener is against longtime rivals Houston. Remember the 4-0 win in 2020? Let's do that again in front of a national audience on Univision.
Saturday, March 12 | at Colorado Rapids | 8 p.m. CT | Local TV / ESPN+
Roadron? Roadron. The first of a host of road-trip opportunities comes at Dick's Sporting Goods Park. The Rapids won the West in 2021 but went 0-1-2 against Sporting.
Saturday, March 19 | at Chicago Fire FC | 5 p.m. CT | Local TV / ESPN+
Soldier Field beckons for Sporting as the club renews their rivalry with the freshly rebranded Fire. Sporting is 7-1-2 in their last 10 meetings with Chicago.
Saturday, March 26 | REAL SALT LAKE | 7 p.m. CT | UniMas
A chance for revenge will be in the air as Sporting hosts Real Salt Lake in a rematch of the 2021 MLS Cup Playoffs Western Conference Semifinal. After going 2-0-0 in 2020, Sporting went 0-3-0 against RSL in 2021 and will look to put that right.
Saturday, April 2 | at Vancouver Whitecaps FC | 7 p.m. CT | Local TV / ESPN+
"We will beat Sporting Kansas City!" - Famous last words from Vancouver head coach Vanni Sartini heading into the 2021 MLS Cup Playoffs. Sporting then dumped Vancouver out of the postseason with a 3-1 victory in Round One.
Saturday, April 9 | NASHVILLE SC | 7:30 p.m. CT | Local TV / ESPN+
Sporting hosts 2020 expansion team Nashville along with their MVP candidate Hany Mukhtar and former Sporting forwards C.J. Sapong and Teal Bunbury. Sporting won the only previous meeting with Nashville 1-0 in 2020.
Sunday, April 17 | at Los Angeles FC | 3 p.m. CT | ESPN
Live on ESPN, Sporting will travel to take on a revamped LAFC squad under a new head coach following Bob Bradley's departure at the conclusion of a playoff-less 2021.
Saturday, April 23 | COLUMBUS CREW | 7:30 p.m. CT | Local TV / ESPN+
The 2020 MLS Cup champions failed to make the postseason in 2021. Led by Argentine playmaker Lucas Zelarayan and USMNT forward Gyasi Zardes, the Crew are primed for a bounce-back year.
Saturday, April 30 | FC DALLAS | 7:30 p.m. CT | Local TV / ESPN+
Following a frustrating 2-1 home loss last July, Sporting pummeled Dallas with a pair of road wins in August and September. Freshly appointed head coach Nico Estevez will have his hands full in 2022.
Saturday, May 7 | at New York City FC | 6 p.m. CT | Local TV / ESPN+
2021 MLS Cup champs. Baseball field. This one will be a real test for Sporting against an exciting and dynamic New York City squad. All-time, Sporting are 14-24-11 against reigning MLS Cup champions.
Saturday, May 14 | at Portland Timbers | 9 p.m. CT | Local TV / ESPN+
2021 MLS Cup runners-up. Turf field. Sporting are 4-4-2 at Providence Park through the years but are winless in their last three visits since a tough 1-0 victory early in the 2017 season.
Wednesday, May 18 | COLORADO RAPIDS | 7:30 p.m. CT | Local TV / ESPN+
Sporting holds a 22-6-6 record against the Rapids at home. In the last six meetings at Children's Mercy Park, Sporting has gone 4-1-1 against the team from Commerce City.
Sunday, May 22 | at San Jose Earthquakes | 6:30 p.m. CT | Local TV / ESPN+
In their last visit to PayPal Park - exactly one year prior to this match on May 22, 2021 - Sporting made light work of the Earthquakes on the way to a 3-1 victory. 2022 marks a new era for the 'Quakes, who are without the services of the league's all-time leading goalscorer Chris Wondolowski for the first time since 2008.
Saturday, May 28 | VANCOUVER WHITECAPS FC | 8 p.m. CT | Local TV / ESPN+
Sporting welcome the 'Caps back to Children's Mercy Park for a rematch of Round One in the 2021 MLS Cup Playoffs. Sporting holds a commanding 6-1-2 record at home against Vancouver in the regular season.
Sunday, June 12 | NEW ENGLAND REVOLUTION | 2 p.m. CT | ABC
All eyes on this one as Sporting hosts the record-setting, Supporters' Shield winning New England Revolution on ABC. 18 of New England's 22 wins in 2021 came by one goal, including six 1-0 wins. Just five of Sporting's 17 wins came by a one-goal margin while the team did not win a game 1-0 all season. This'll either be tight or wild.
Sunday, June 19 | at Nashville SC | 5 p.m. CT | FS1
Brand-new stadium alert! Nashville is set to move out of Nissan Stadium and into the Nashville Fairgrounds Stadium in early 2022. It's just an 8h30 drive... what do you say, Roadron?
Saturday, June 25 | at Seattle Sounders FC | 2 p.m. CT | ABC
The latest episode in Sporting's burgeoning rivalry with Seattle. Another big match on ABC. Sporting won both matches at Lumen Field in 2021 - much to the dismay of fans in the Emerald City. Roared on by a strong pocket of Sporting fans in the PNW, we'll look to make them cry on national TV once again.
Sunday, July 3 | NEW YORK RED BULLS | 7 p.m. CT | Local TV / ESPN+
The Harrison, New Jersey chapter of the Red Bull conglomerate comes to town on the eve of Independence Day. Sporting last hosted the Red Bulls in a contentious 2-2 draw in early 2019 while the team holds a slender 22-21-14 lead in the all-time regular season series.
Saturday, July 9 | at CF Montreal | 6:30 p.m. CT | Local TV / ESPN+
North of the Border we go to take on Wilfried Nancy's enigmatic Montreal side. The Club de Foot missed the playoffs by two points in 2021 but will still represent MLS in the Concacaf Champions League as Canadian Championship winners.
Wednesday, July 13 | at Minnesota United FC | 7 p.m. CT | ESPN
The Nicest Rivalry in Sp... I think we're all a bit sick of that tagline. Sporting heads north to Allianz Field for a nationally televised contest against Adrian Heath's Loons following a pair of heated games in St. Paul in 2021 where Sporting went 0-1-1.
Sunday, July 17 | at Real Salt Lake | 8:30 p.m. CT | Local TV / ESPN+
Let's add some more salt to their lake. Enough said.
Saturday, July 23 | LOS ANGELES FC | 7:30 p.m. CT | Local TV / ESPN+
The first match in a three-game homestand sees Sporting host LAFC for the first time since a dramatic 2-1 victory courtesy of Daniel Salloi's late winner on June 26, 2021.
Saturday, July 30 | AUSTIN FC | 7:30 p.m. CT | Local TV / ESPN+
Sporting welcomes back a pair of club legends in Austin head coach Josh Wolff and assistant coach Davy Arnaud who, between them, had 98 goals and 70 assists in 436 appearances across all competitions for the club.
Saturday, Aug. 6 | LA GALAXY | 7:30 p.m. CT | Local TV / ESPN+
Sporting closes out their homestand by hosting the ever-dangerous Chicharito and the rest of Greg Vanney's Galaxy squad. LA missed the postseason in 2021 after sitting above the playoff line the entire season until the final minute of the final day.
Saturday, Aug. 13 | at Austin FC | 8 p.m. CT | Local TV / ESPN+
A second match in the space of two weeks against Austin sees Sporting travel down to Q2 Stadium looking to avenge a rough 3-1 defeat in their first-ever visit to the stadium at the back end of the 2021 campaign.
Sunday, Aug. 21 | PORTLAND TIMBERS | 7 p.m. CT | FS1
2021 MLS Cup runners-up. Natural grass. Sporting is 3-1-3 against Portland at Children's Mercy Park with the only loss coming in Sporting's 2013 MLS Cup championship season. That's a decent trade-off.
Saturday, Aug. 27 | SAN JOSE EARTHQUAKES | 7:30 p.m. CT | Local TV / ESPN+
Matias Almeyda's San Jose side frustrated Sporting at Children's Mercy Park in 2021, needing a late, late equalizer from Daniel Salloi to salvage a point in mid-July. Despite the dropped points, Sporting has still gone 7-1-2 against the 'Quakes in the last 10 meetings between the sides, including a 4-0-1 mark at Children's Mercy Park.
Sunday, Sept. 4 | at LA Galaxy | 7 p.m. CT | Local TV / ESPN+
The stretch run begins with a trip to Carson, California to take on the Galaxy. Sporting smashed-and-grabbed their way to a 2-0 victory at Dignity Health Sports Park in 2021 and have won three of their last four road matches against LA.
Saturday, Sept. 10 | at Houston Dynamo FC | 7:30 p.m. CT | Local TV / ESPN+
We'll have a decent idea of how the Dynamo's bounce-back season is going at this point, as Sporting heads to BBVA Stadium for a matchup that's never been easy. Sporting has won just once in their last four visits to Houston.
Tuesday, Sept. 13 | D.C. UNITED | 7:30 p.m. CT | Local TV / ESPN+
Sporting will have to be on their best behavior when D.C. comes to town, as the Capital club drew a league-high 11 penalties in 2021, with top scorer Ola Kamara notching nine of his 19 goals from the spot - almost double the next player.
Saturday, Sept. 17 | MINNESOTA UNITED FC | 7:30 p.m. CT | Local TV / ESPN+
Sporting's penultimate home match of the 2022 season sees Midwest foes Minnesota come back to town. Sporting thrashed the Loons 4-0 at home in 2021 and has a perfect 6-0-0 record against Adrian Heath's side in regular-season play.
Sunday, Oct. 2 | SEATTLE SOUNDERS FC | 4 p.m. CT | FS1
If previous seasons are anything to go by, this'll be a big one on FS1. Sporting and Seattle have finished in the top three in the Western Conference in three of the past four seasons, so SKC's home finale will likely play a huge role in determining the final standings.
Sunday, Oct. 9 | at FC Dallas | 4 p.m. CT | Local TV / ESPN+
Sporting closes out the 2022 regular season with a Decision Day clash in Frisco, Texas against FC Dallas. Let's hope both teams have something to play for and encourages the Texas side to keep the ball in play more than out.
