MLS announces its 2016 opening weekend schedule, dates for all 20 home openers

Major League Soccer has announced the start date to its 2016 season as well as the dates for its club’s 20 home openers. The season will begin with 10 matches on Sunday, March 6, 2016, with the remaining home openers extending into the 12th week of the campaign.

Nineteen of the league’s clubs will play home openers within the season’s first three weeks. Toronto FC, for the second straight year, will start the season with a prolonged road trip as construction is completed on BMO Field.

In addition to the home opening dates, Major League Soccer also announced the national television matchups for the season’s first weekend. The first kickoff of the season, Toronto’s visit to New Jersey to face the New York Red Bulls, will be broadcast on TSN in Canada. ESPN’s nationally televised game will be an MLS Cup final rematch between Portland and Columbus at Providence Park. FS1 will broadcast Sporting Kansas City’s trip to Seattle, while Vancouver-Montreal (TSN) and LA Galaxy-DC United (UniMas) will also be broadcast nationally.

With their season opening broadcasts, ESPN and FOX will feature hour-long pregames shows, while international broadcast partners will extend the league’s opening weekend reach to “140 nations and territories,” according the league.

SEE MORE: MLS’s rules and the Galaxy’s choices have landed Omar Gonzalez in Mexico.

WEEK 1
Sunday, March 6, 2016 (home team listed first):
1:30 p.m. ET – New York Red Bulls vs. Toronto FC (Red Bull Arena) – TSN
2 p.m. ET – Orlando City SC vs. Real Salt Lake (Orlando Citrus Bowl)
2 p.m. ET – Chicago Fire vs. New York City FC (Toyota Park)
3 p.m. ET – FC Dallas vs. Philadelphia Union (Toyota Stadium)
3 p.m. ET – Houston Dynamo vs. New England Revolution (BBVA Compass Stadium)
3 p.m. ET – San Jose Earthquakes vs. Colorado Rapids (Avaya Stadium)
4:30 p.m. ET – Portland Timbers vs. Columbus Crew SC (Providence Park) – ESPN / ESPN Deportes
5:30 p.m. ET – Vancouver Whitecaps FC vs. Montreal Impact (BC Place) – TSN and RDS
7 p.m. ET – Seattle Sounders FC vs. Sporting Kansas City (CenturyLink Field)– FS1 / FOX Deportes
10 p.m. ET – LA Galaxy vs. D.C. United (StubHub Center) – UniMas/ UDN

WEEK 2
Saturday, March 12
New England Revolution vs. D.C. United (Gillette Stadium)
Columbus Crew SC vs. Philadelphia Union (MAPFRE Stadium)
Colorado Rapids vs. LA Galaxy (Dick’s Sporting Goods Park)
Sporting Kansas City vs. Vancouver Whitecaps FC (Children’s Mercy Park)
Real Salt Lake vs. Seattle Sounders FC (Rio Tinto Stadium)
Montreal Impact vs. New York Red Bulls (Olympic Stadium)
Sunday, March 13
New York City FC vs. Toronto FC (Yankee Stadium)

WEEK 3
Saturday, March 19
D.C. United vs. Colorado Rapids (RFK Stadium)
Sunday, March 20
Philadelphia Union vs. New England Revolution (Talen Energy Stadium)

WEEK 12
Saturday, May 7
Toronto FC vs. FC Dallas (BMO Field)