Save the dates, mark the calendars, set your travel plans and snap up those ticket packages.
Sporting Kansas City unveiled the club’s 2020 MLS regular season schedule on Thursday, giving supporters an enticing first look at upcoming campaign.
The MLS schedule release is always one of the most exciting moments of the offseason, and today is certainly no exception. In fact, Sporting’s 2020 slate is about as fan-friendly as they come.
The full 2020 schedule is listed far below, and after absorbing the entire docket game by game, several interesting tidbits emerge. Without further ado, here are the top 10 things to know about Sporting’s 2020 MLS regular season schedule.
1. Stocked on Saturdays
If you’re a fan of Saturday matchdays, you’re in luck. Sporting will play a remarkable 28 of their 34 games on Saturday, including 13 of the club’s 17 home fixtures at Children’s Mercy Park. Here’s a breakdown of 2020 regular season matchdays by day of the week:
- 28 Saturday matches (13 at home)
- 4 Sunday matches (3 at home)
- 2 Wednesday matches (1 at home)
2. Uninterrupted from Start to Finish
As mentioned above, Sporting has just two midweek fixtures on the docket. The club will instead play through FIFA international windows in March, June and September, making for a schedule that has zero bye weeks from opening day on Feb. 29 to Decision Day on Oct. 4. That’s right, Sporting will play on 32 consecutive weekends over the course of 2020. The action will literally be non-stop.
3. Ticket Promotions
Single-game Sporting tickets will go on sale early next year, but fans don’t have to wait until then to secure their seats at Children’s Mercy Park. A variety of multi-game ticket packages are now available, including the limited-time Holiday Pack that bundles Sporting’s home opener against Houston on March 7 with two additional flex matches and a scarf. Click here for more information.
4. Summer of Sporting
It’s tough to beat summertime matches at Children’s Mercy Park. And to everyone’s delight, Sporting will have seven total home games in June and July. Indeed, the summer of 2020 is the Summer of Sporting, as Manager Peter Vermes’ side will host four games in June—up from zero last year—and an additional three in July.
5. Theme Nights are Back
The new season will once again feature a variety of exciting promotions and theme nights, including the return of Retro Night, Sporting Salutes, Sporting Legends, Kick Childhood Cancer Night and more. The full theme night schedule is listed below and subject to change.
- March 7 vs. Houston Dynamo — Opening Night
- April 18 vs. Colorado Rapids — Sporting Sustainability & Royals Night
- May 23 vs. Seattle Sounders FC — Soccer For All
- June 20 vs. Vancouver Whitecaps FC — Sporting Legends & Media Match
- July 5 vs. LAFC — Americana & Fourth of July
- Aug. 15 vs. San Jose Earthquakes — Retro Night
- Aug. 29 vs. Columbus Crew SC — Sporting Salutes
- Sept. 19 vs. Nashville SC — Kick Childhood Cancer Night
6. Ready for the Roaddron
Who’s ready to road trip? Sporting’s 2020 schedule gives fans several awesome travel possibilities throughout the year. Road matches at expansion side Nashville SC, FC Dallas, Minnesota United FC, Chicago and Colorado—each within an eight-hour drive of the Kansas City metro—will all take place on Saturdays. Sporting will continue to offer free away tickets to supporters in 2020, and more information is available by clicking here.
7. Frequent Flyers Early
Sporting will open 2020 with five of their first seven games on the road. The stretch includes a marquee tilt with defending Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup champion Atlanta United FC on March 14 at Mercedes-Benz Stadium and an inaugural meeting with Nashville SC on April 11 at Nissan Stadium.
8. Tough Month of May
A daunting month of May will require Sporting to play five opponents that reached the 2019 MLS Cup Playoffs, including home games against MLS Cup finalists Toronto FC (May 9) and Seattle (May 23) as well as visits to reigning Supporters’ Shield winners LAFC (May 2), Philadelphia Union (May 16) and FC Dallas (May 30).
9. Four on National TV
The regular season docket is highlighted by four nationally televised matchups—one each on ESPN, FS1, ABC and Univision. Sporting will make its ESPN and FS1 debuts against the Portland Timbers, visiting Providence Park on June 13 before hosting the reverse fixture on June 28. Vermes’ men will play on network television for the first time since 2016 when they travel to meet reigning MLS Cup champion Seattle Sounders FC on Aug. 8 on ABC, then make their lone Univision appearance on Sept. 5 with a battle against Chicago Fire FC at Soldier Field.
10. PV Hits 400 on Decision Day
Four of Sporting’s final seven fixtures will come against Eastern Conference sides, including the club’s regular season finale against NYCFC on Oct. 6. The curtain closer is one of 13 MLS matches set to kick off simultaneously at 3:30 p.m. CT as the 2020 regular season comes to a dramatic end on Decision Day. And it just so happens that this will be Vermes’ 400th MLS match in charge of Sporting.
Sporting KC 2020 Regular Season Schedule
Home games in caps; kickoff times, television details, theme nights and promos subject to change.
<strong>DATE</strong> |
<strong>OPPONENT</strong> |
<strong>TIME (p.m. CT)</strong> |
<strong>TV</strong> |
<strong>THEME/PROMO</strong> |
<div>Saturday, Feb. 29</div> |
<div>at Vancouver Whitecaps FC</div> |
<div>9:30</div> |
<div>TBD</div> |
|
<div>Saturday, March 7</div> |
<div>HOUSTON DYNAMO</div> |
<div>7:30</div> |
<div>TBD</div> |
<div>Opening Night</div> |
<s>Saturday, March 14</s> |
<div>at Atlanta United FC</div> |
<s>6:00</s> |
<div>TBD</div> |
|
<s>Saturday, March 21</s> |
<div>at San Jose Earthquakes</div> |
<s>9:00</s> |
<div>TBD</div> |
|
<s>Saturday, March 28</s> |
<div>REAL SALT LAKE</div> |
<s>7:30</s> |
<div>TBD</div> |
|
<s>Saturday, April 4</s> |
<div>at LA Galaxy</div> |
<s>9:30</s> |
<div>TBD</div> |
|
<s>Saturday, April 11</s> |
<div>at Nashville SC</div> |
<s>7:00</s> |
<div>TBD</div> |
|
<s>Saturday, April 18</s> |
<div>COLORADO RAPIDS</div> |
<s>7:30</s> |
<div>TBD</div> |
<div>Sporting Sustainability; Royals Night</div> |
<s>Saturday, April 25</s> |
<div>MINNESOTA UNITED FC</div> |
<s>7:30</s> |
<div>TBD</div> |
|
<s>Saturday, May 2</s> |
<div>at LAFC</div> |
<s>9:30</s> |
<div>TBD</div> |
|
<s>Saturday, May 9</s> |
<div>TORONTO FC</div> |
<s>3:00</s> |
<div>TBD</div> |
|
<div>Saturday, May 16</div> |
<div>at Philadelphia Union</div> |
6:30 |
<div>TBD</div> |
|
<div>Saturday, May 23</div> |
<div>SEATTLE SOUNDERS FC</div> |
<div>7:30</div> |
<div>TBD</div> |
<div>Soccer For All</div> |
<div>Saturday, May 30</div> |
<div>at FC Dallas</div> |
<div>7:30</div> |
<div>TBD</div> |
|
<div>Saturday, June 6</div> |
<div>ORLANDO CITY SC</div> |
<div>7:30</div> |
<div>TBD</div> |
|
<div>Saturday, June 13</div> |
<div>at Portland Timbers</div> |
<div>4:00</div> |
<div>ESPN</div> |
|
<div>Wednesday, June 17</div> |
<div>LA GALAXY</div> |
<div>7:30</div> |
<div>TBD</div> |
|
<div>Saturday, June 20</div> |
<div>VANCOUVER WHITECAPS FC</div> |
<div>8:00</div> |
<div>TBD</div> |
<div>Sporting Legends; Media Match</div> |
<div>Sunday, June 28</div> |
<div>PORTLAND TIMBERS</div> |
<div>5:30</div> |
<div>FS1</div> |
|
<div>Wednesday, July 1</div> |
<div>at Real Salt Lake</div> |
<div>9:00</div> |
<div>TBD</div> |
|
<div>Sunday, July 5</div> |
<div>LAFC</div> |
<div>5:30</div> |
<div>TBD</div> |
<div>Americana & Fourth of July</div> |
<div>Saturday, July 11</div> |
<div>FC CINCINNATI</div> |
<div>7:30</div> |
<div>TBD</div> |
|
<div>Saturday, July 18</div> |
<div>at Minnesota United FC</div> |
<div>7:00</div> |
<div>TBD</div> |
|
<div>Saturday, July 25</div> |
<div>FC DALLAS</div> |
<div>7:30</div> |
<div>TBD</div> |
|
<div>Saturday, Aug. 1</div> |
<div>at Montreal Impact</div> |
<div>6:00</div> |
<div>TBD</div> |
|
<div>Saturday, Aug. 8</div> |
<div>at Seattle Sounders FC</div> |
<div>2:30</div> |
<div>ABC</div> |
|
<div>Saturday, Aug. 15</div> |
<div>SAN JOSE EARTHQUAKES</div> |
<div>7:30</div> |
<div>TBD</div> |
<div>Retro (Founding Club) Night</div> |
<div>Saturday, Aug. 22</div> |
<div>at New England Revolution</div> |
<div>6:30</div> |
<div>TBD</div> |
|
<div>Saturday, Aug. 29</div> |
<div>COLUMBUS CREW SC</div> |
<div>7:30</div> |
<div>TBD</div> |
<div>Sporting Salutes</div> |
<div>Saturday, Sept. 5</div> |
<div>at Chicago Fire FC</div> |
<div>2:30</div> |
<div>Univision</div> |
|
<div>Saturday, Sept. 12</div> |
<div>at Colorado Rapids</div> |
<div>8:00</div> |
<div>TBD</div> |
|
<div>Saturday, Sept. 19</div> |
<div>NASHVILLE SC</div> |
<div>7:30</div> |
<div>TBD</div> |
<div>Kick Childhood Cancer Night</div> |
<div>Sunday, Sept. 27</div> |
<div>at Houston Dynamo</div> |
<div>6:30</div> |
<div>TBD</div> |
|
<div>Sunday, Oct. 4</div> |
<div>NEW YORK CITY FC</div> |
<div>3:30</div> |
<div>TBD</div> |
