Starting XI: Numbers Game

Starting XI is a biweekly series on SportingKC.com that highlights 11 of the biggest storylines and news updates from Sporting Kansas City, MLS and soccer around the globe. Click here to visit the Starting XI archive.

Sporting Kansas City will take the field for two matches in Arizona this week as the club continues its 2018 preseason, presented by Children's Mercy. Manager Peter Vermes’ men will kick off the Mobile Mini Sun Cup at 6 p.m. CT on Wednesday against the New York Red Bulls at Kino Sports Complex in Tucson before traveling north to Scottsdale to play Phoenix Rising FC at 4 p.m. CT on Saturday. Wednesday's contest will be streamed live online and in-game updates will be available for both matches via @SportingKC on Twitter.

2. Turn on the Tele

FOX Sports Kansas City will televise 27 Sporting KC matches in 2018, serving as the exclusive television home of the club for the second straight season. A detailed television schedule was unveiled on Friday. ESPN and FS1 will collectively televise seven Sporting KC fixtures to a national audience. Click here for more details.

3. Numbers Game

Sporting KC has confirmed jersey number updates for nine players heading into the 2018 MLS season. With new arrivals joining the club and multiple returnees making switches from 2017, the numerical roster has a distinctly different look.

4. Snap ‘Em Up

Single-game tickets for Sporting KC’s first 10 home matches of the 2018 MLS regular season are now on sale via SeatGeek.com. Individual match tickets for games at Children’s Mercy Park through July 7 — beginning with the highly anticipated season opener versus New York City FC on March 4 and continuing through a mid-summer matchup with reigning MLS Cup champion Toronto FC — can be purchased by clicking here.

5. Anthem Jacket

Sporting KC’s new secondary jersey will be available to purchase for the first time on Feb. 28 at the Season Kickoff Party inside Children’s Mercy Park. However, supporters won’t have to wait that long to get their hands on another new piece of must-have merchandise. The 2018 Anthem Jacket, which closely resembles the new all-black kit, is on sale now at the SportingStyle Pop-in Store. Visit during store hours from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. CT Monday through Saturday or contact stylist@sportingkc.com (913-912-7563) to place an order.

6. Prized Partners

Sporting KC announced on Friday new enhancements at Children’s Mercy Park courtesy of club partnerships with Toyota, Anheuser-Busch, Audi and Coca-Cola. Click here for more details.

7. Soony Departs

Sporting KC announced late last week that the club has waived forward Soony Saad. Saad began his second stint with Sporting KC in 2017, starting six of 12 appearances throughout the MLS regular season. The 25-year-old previously played for the club from 2011-2014 before spending the next two seasons in Thailand. For a full list of Sporting KC’s offseason roster moves, visit SportingKC.com/tracker.

8. Rangers Roll

The Swope Park Rangers cruised to a winning preseason start with a 2-0 victory over Rockhurst University on Saturday at Swope Soccer Village. Newly acquired forward Hadji Barry provided both goals for the Rangers, who will return to preseason action on Saturday when head coach Paulo Nagamura’s men host Tulsa Roughnecks FC. Kickoff at Swope Soccer Village is slated for 2 p.m. CT and admission is free and open to the public.

9. GA Cup Continues

The Sporting KC Academy U-15s and U-17s will travel to StubHub Center in California this week to play in the preliminary phase of the 2017-18 Generation adidas Cup, with matches scheduled against hosts LA Galaxy as well as the Portland Timbers and Seattle Sounders. The U-17s currently sit in second place in the West Region of GA Cup qualifying with a 2-0-1 record (8 points) and now look to secure their place among the elite MLS academies in April at the GA Cup Finals at Toyota Stadium in Frisco, Texas.

10. College Commits

Eleven Sporting KC Academy players signed their National Letters of Intent to play NCAA Division I soccer last week. Three goalkeepers, three midfielders and five forwards from the Sporting KC Academy all committed to college programs around the country. Click here for details.

11. Cordeiro Elected President

U.S. Soccer elected a new president on Saturday in Orlando as Carlos Cordeiro, who has served as the federation’s vice president since 2016, won the vote on the third ballot. Cordeiro will take over for Sunil Gulati, who has served as the federation’s president since 2006. A longtime executive at Goldman Sachs, Cordeiro has been a member of the U.S. Soccer Board since joining the federation in 2007 as an independent director.

Games to Watch (Feb. 13-15)