It’s pretty safe to state that the MLS is Back tournament in the Orlando bubble was a massive success. The tournament went on without any kindof setbacks, so we’re glad to announce that Major League Soccer has already released its schedule for the 2020 MLS season.
There have been several questions about the upcoming campaign that are yet to be answered. In the meantime, FC Dallas and Nashville SC will face off three times to make up for the games they missed after being withdrawnfrom the MLS is Back tournament.
So, in the following paragraphs, we’ll break down everythingthere is to know about the 2020 MLS season: how to watch, schedule, key dates, and all safety protocols as shared by Major League Soccer.
Schedule
Every team will play an additional 18 games following the MLS is Back Tournament, for seeding purposes. As we mentioned before, FC Dallas and Nashville SC will face off three times to make up for their missed games.
The 2020 MLS season will start on Thursday,August 20. All teams will face off vs. six regional opponents through September 14 for the first face of the season. The regular season will end on November 8, with the rest of the schedule set to be released in September.
It’s also worth noting that for the first time, the Audi MLS Cup Playoffs will feature 18 teams, up from 14 last year. The playoffs are slated to begin on November 20 and will go through December 12.
Key Dates
New York Derby (NYCFC vs. New York Red Bulls): August 20
Texas Derby (Houston Dynamo vs. FC Dallas): August 21
El Trafico Derby (LAFC vs. LA Galaxy): August 22
Florida Rivalry (Inter Miami CF vs. Orlando City SC): August 22
Rocky Mountain Cup (Real Salt Lake vs. Colorado Rapids): August 22
Cascadia Matchup (Portland Timbers vs. Seattle Sounders FC): August 23
The Hell is Real Derby (FC Cincinnati vs. Columbus Crew SC): August 29 and September 6
Traveling and Safety Protocols
All teams will travel in chartered flights and buses and their parties will consist only of essential staff and players. Also, Canadian teams will most likely have to play in the U.S. due to current travel restrictions.
Moreover, all teams will establish partnerships with local labs to test their players and staff every other day, including the day before each game. Every team will also enforce health guidelines to prevent players from contracting and spreading the virus while away from the team.
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Will There be Fans in Attendance?
Whether fans will be allowed to attend games(withlimited capacity) is yet to be seen. That’s the team’s plans thus far but they’re yet to receive approval by the league. But hey, at least, we’ll have the league back.
How to Watch
MLS fans in the U.S can watch and stream games on ESPN, FOX Sports, and Univision platforms, as well as every team’s regional broadcasting partners. Also, national TV games not aired by an English-speaking network will be streamed for free on English on Twitter.
Moreover, every out-ot-market regional broadcast will be aired on ESPN+. As for Canadian broadcasts schedules, they’ll be released once the situation regarding Canadian clubs is settled, as per MLS.