
MLS Announces Home Openers for 2021 Season
March 10, 2021 - Major League Soccer (MLS) News Release
NEW YORK - As Major League Soccer prepares for the start of the 2021 season, the league today announced the dates and broadcast details of the home openers for all 27 clubs. The opening weekend of MLS action will kick off on Friday, April 16, including five nationally televised matches across the ABC, FOX, and Univision networks in the U.S., as well as matches on CTV, TSN, TVA and TVA Sports in Canada.
Among the highlights of MLS' 26th season launch will be the historic debut of Austin FC - the league's 27th club. Austin FC will kick off MLS action against 2020 Concacaf Champions League finalist Los Angeles Football Club at Banc of California Stadium on Saturday, April 17, live on FOX, beginning at 5:30 p.m. ET. Austin FC will celebrate their inaugural home match, and the landmark opening of Q2 Stadium, on Saturday, June 19, as the team faces the San Jose Earthquakes, broadcast live on UniMás and TUDN at 9 p.m. ET.
Joining Austin FC's Q2 Stadium, the 2021 season will see the opening of two additional world-class soccer stadiums. FC Cincinnati will debut West End Stadium during the club's 2021 home opener on May 16, hosting Inter Miami CF live on FOX at 4 p.m. ET, and defending MLS Cup champions Columbus Crew SC, who will start the season with home matches at Historic Crew Stadium, will debut its new downtown stadium this summer.
The 2021 opening weekend will be the first time all five national broadcast partners showcase MLS matches on their over-the-air networks, including ABC, FOX, and Univision's UniMás in the U.S., and CTV and TVA in Canada.
A partner since the League's inception, the ABC and ESPN networks will kick off their 26th season of national coverage on Sunday, April 18 as Inter Miami CF host David Beckham's former club, the LA Galaxy, live on ABC and ESPN Deportes at 3 p.m. ET. In the U.S., ESPN+ will stream all regional broadcasts nationally, out-of-market, including 17 club home openers.
FOX Sports presents three matches opening weekend, headlined by Austin FC's inaugural match against LAFC on FOX, and two additional matches on FS1. All three matches will also be broadcast nationally in Spanish on FOX Deportes.
Univision will be showcasing MLS opening weekend action on UniMás, with simulcast on TUDN. This year, UniMás will shine a spotlight on Orlando's Exploria Stadium as Orlando City SC host Atlanta United, with new coach Gabriel Heinze, on Saturday, April 17 at 3 p.m. ET.
Any nationally televised matches not aired by a national English-language network will be streamed live in English on Twitter.
Kicking off the season with a bang, Toronto FC will face CF Montreal in the opening weekend of MLS action on Saturday, April 17 with English-language coverage on CTV as well as TSN, and French-language coverage over-the-air on TVA, in addition to TVA Sports, beginning at 2 p.m. ET.
Due to travel restrictions between the U.S. and Canada, the three Canadian clubs will begin the MLS regular season in the U.S. with each club hosting matches in a U.S. city:
CF Montreal: Miami, Fla.; Inter Miami CF Stadium
Toronto FC: Orlando, Fla.; Exploria Stadium
Vancouver Whitecaps FC: Sandy, Utah; Rio Tinto Stadium
Full dates and broadcast details of the 2021 MLS season schedule will be announced in the coming weeks.
2021 Major League Soccer Regular Season Home Openers
All times are ET. Home teams listed first. Schedule is subject to change.
Friday, April 16, 2021
8 p.m. Houston Dynamo FC vs. San Jose Earthquakes (BBVA Stadium) ESPN+
9:30 p.m. Seattle Sounders FC vs. Minnesota United FC (Lumen Field) FS1, FOX Deportes
Saturday, April 17, 2021
1 p.m. New York Red Bulls vs. Sporting Kansas City (Red Bull Arena) ESPN+
2 p.m. CF Montréal vs. Toronto FC (Miami, Fla.; Inter Miami CF Stadium) CTV, TSN, TVA, TVA Sports, ESPN+
3 p.m. Orlando City SC vs. Atlanta United (Exploria Stadium) UniMás, TUDN, Twitter
5:30 p.m. Los Angeles Football Club vs. Austin FC (Banc of California Stadium) FOX, FOX Deportes
8 p.m. FC Dallas vs. Colorado Rapids (Toyota Stadium) ESPN+
8 p.m. D.C. United vs. New York City FC (Audi Field) ESPN+
8:30 p.m. Nashville SC vs. FC Cincinnati (Nissan Stadium) ESPN+
8:30 p.m. Chicago Fire FC vs. New England Revolution (Soldier Field) ESPN+
Sunday, April 18, 2021
3 p.m. Inter Miami CF vs. LA Galaxy (Inter Miami CF Stadium) ABC, ESPN Deportes
5:30 p.m. Columbus Crew SC vs. Philadelphia Union (Historic Crew Stadium) FS1, FOX Deportes
10 p.m. Vancouver Whitecaps FC vs. Portland Timbers (Rio Tinto Stadium) TSN, ESPN+
Friday, April 23, 2021
7:30 p.m. Sporting Kansas City vs. Orlando City SC (Children's Mercy Park) FS1, FOX Deportes
Saturday, April 24, 2021
1 p.m. New York City FC vs. FC Cincinnati (Yankee Stadium) ESPN+
3 p.m. Toronto FC vs. Vancouver Whitecaps FC (Exploria Stadium) CTV, TSN, ESPN+
3:30 p.m. San Jose Earthquakes vs. FC Dallas (Earthquakes Stadium) Univision, TUDN, Twitter
8 p.m. Atlanta United vs. Chicago Fire FC (Mercedes-Benz Stadium) ESPN+
8 p.m. New England Revolution vs. D.C. United (Gillette Stadium) ESPN+
8 p.m. Philadelphia Union vs. Inter Miami CF (Subaru Park) ESPN+
8 p.m. Minnesota United FC vs. Real Salt Lake (Allianz Field) ESPN+
9 p.m. Colorado Rapids vs. Austin FC (Dick's Sporting Goods Park) ESPN+
10:30 p.m. Portland Timbers vs. Houston Dynamo FC (Providence Park) ESPN+
Sunday, April 25, 2021
5:30 p.m. LA Galaxy vs. New York Red Bulls (Dignity Health Sports Park) FS1, FOX Deportes
Saturday, May 1, 2021
2 p.m. Real Salt Lake vs. Sporting Kansas City (Rio Tinto Stadium) ESPN+
Sunday, May 16, 2021
4 p.m. FC Cincinnati vs. Inter Miami CF (West End Stadium) FOX, FOX Deportes
Saturday, June 19, 2021
9 p.m. Austin FC vs. San Jose Earthquakes (Q2 Stadium) UniMás, TUDN, Twitter
Major League Soccer Stories from March 10, 2021
- Nashville SC's Randall Leal Called up to Costa Rican National Team for CONCACAF Olympic Qualifying Championship - Nashville SC
- Timbers, Tomas Conechny Mutually Agree to Part Ways - Portland Timbers
- Revolution Goalkeeper Earl Edwards Jr. Undergoes Successful Arthroscopic Knee Surgery - New England Revolution
- Nashville SC to Host Rival FC Cincinnati in 2021 Major League Soccer Season Opener on April 17 - Nashville SC
- Colorado Rapids to Open 2021 Season on the Road at FC Dallas on April 17, Debut at Home on April 24 - Colorado Rapids
- Home Opener Announced: Inter Miami CF to Face LA Galaxy on April 18 - Inter Miami CF
- Four CF Montreal Players Selected by Canada U23 - Club de Foot Montreal
- LAFC Kicks off 2021 MLS Campaign against Expansion Team Austin FC on April 17 at Banc of California Stadium - Los Angeles FC
- New York Red Bulls Announce 2021 MLS Home Opener - New York Red Bulls
- D.C. United Announce Home Opener Ahead of 2021 MLS Season - D.C. United
- LA Galaxy 2021 MLS Home Opener Set for Sunday, April 25 at Dignity Health Sports Park - LA Galaxy
- Vancouver Whitecaps FC to Make Rio Tinto Stadium and Sandy Home to Start 2021 Season - Real Salt Lake
- FC Dallas Hosts Colorado Rapids in 2021 Home Opener on April 17 - FC Dallas
- Columbus Crew SC Begins 2021 MLS Season on April 18, Hosting the Philadelphia Union - Columbus Crew SC
- Sporting KC Home Opener Set for April 23 - Sporting Kansas City
- Toronto FC to Open 2021 MLS Season with Rivalry Game vs. Cf Montreal on April 17 in Florida - Toronto FC
- Philadelphia Union Announce 2021 Season & Home Opener - Philadelphia Union
- Earthquakes Host FC Dallas in Home Opener on April 24 - San Jose Earthquakes
- Orlando City to Host Atlanta United FC in Home Opener on April 17, Presented by Orlando Health - Orlando City SC
- Sounders FC to Open 2021 Season at Home April 16 vs. Minnesota - Seattle Sounders FC
- CF Montreal to Kick off MLS Season against Toronto FC - Club de Foot Montreal
- Atlanta United to Open 2021 MLS Season at Orlando City SC - Atlanta United FC
- Vancouver Whitecaps FC Kick off 2021 MLS Season in Utah against Rivals Portland Timbers on April 18 - Vancouver Whitecaps FC
- New York City FC Announces First 2021 MLS Matches Including Home Opener at Yankee Stadium - New York City FC
- Chicago Fire FC to Face New England Revolution in 2021 Home Opener at Soldier Field on April 17 - Chicago Fire FC
- Austin FC Announces Dates for First-Ever Regular Season Match in Club History and Historic First-Ever Match at Q2 Stadium - Austin FC
- Minnesota United Announces Season and Home Opener for 2021 MLS Season - Minnesota United FC
- MLS Announces Home Openers for 2021 Season - MLS
- Real Salt Lake to Face Rival Sporting Kansas City in 2021 Home Opener - Real Salt Lake
- New England Revolution Announce 2021 Opening Matches - New England Revolution
- Timbers to Face Houston Dynamo FC in 2021 Home Opener at Providence Park on April 24 - Portland Timbers
- Houston Dynamo FC Host San Jose Earthquakes on April 16 for Welcome Back to BBVA Stadium Night - Houston Dynamo FC
- FC Cincinnati to Host Inter Miami CF on FOX in West End Stadium Opener on May 16 - FC Cincinnati
- Marvin Loria Called up to U-23 Costa Rica Men's National Team for CONCACAF Olympic Qualifying Championship - Portland Timbers
The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.
