MLS Real Salt Lake

Real Salt Lake Unveils 2016 MLS Regular Season Slate

Published on January 7, 2016 under Major League Soccer (MLS)
Real Salt Lake News Release


SANDY, Utah - In conjunction with Major League Soccer, today Real Salt Lake announced its 2016 regular-season schedule, unveiling the club's 34-game league slate for its 12th MLS season. The 17-game home calendar features the club's annual July fireworks games to celebrate Independence Day (Friday, July 1 v. D.C. United) and Pioneer Day (Friday, July 22 against San Jose Earthquakes), the defending MLS Cup champion Portland Timbers on June 18 and a stretch that sees six of the final nine and 13 of the final 21 regular-season matches at Rio Tinto Stadium in a home-heavy late Summer/Fall.

As previously announced, Real Salt Lake opens the league season following its home-and-home CONCACAF Champions League Quarterfinal series with UANL Tigres (MEX) on the road with the club's first-ever Florida match on Sunday, March 6 against Orlando City SC, and the club's home opener on Saturday, March 12, against rival Seattle Sounders FC. The remaining calendar features five nationally televised matches, one Sunday home game, two midweeks and three Friday night contests.

The 2016 schedule has RSL playing six teams in the Western Conference three times each, and the other three in the West twice. As in previous seasons, RSL will face each team in the Eastern Conference once, with five matches at home and five on the road. RSL will play a trio of matches against the Rapids, Houston Dynamo, FC Dallas (twice each at Rio Tinto Stadium), and three games against each of Seattle Sounders FC, Portland Timbers and Sporting Kansas City, hosting each just once. Among Western Conference opponents, Salt Lake will play two matches - one home and one away - against the LA Galaxy, Vancouver Whitecaps FC and San Jose Earthquakes.

Due to Rio Tinto Stadium's field replacement from May 1 to June 15, RSL is forced to venture on its longest-ever road trip, playing five consecutive road matches from May 7 - June 2, returning to its home field on June 18 against the Timbers. Due to this unique circumstance, RSL will play three of its first four games and nine of its first 13 league matches away from home. Real Salt Lake has enjoyed a prominent home-field advantage since building its permanent Rio Tinto Stadium home in Sandy, boasting an 89-20-29 mark in the building since its opening in October, 2008.

The fan-created Rocky Mountain Cup series against the rival Colorado Rapids will feature two matches at Rio Tinto Stadium - on Saturday, April 9 and Friday, August 26 (6:00 p.m. MT kickoff, the club's earliest weeknight start in 12 seasons) - with one on the road at Dick's Sporting Goods Park on Saturday, May 7.

Against Eastern Conference foes this season, Rio Tinto Stadium will play host to the New York Red Bulls, D.C. United, the Montreal Impact, New England Revolution and Chicago Fire. Meanwhile, RSL will play road matches for the first time against both Orlando City and New York City FC, as well as the Eastern Conference champion Columbus Crew, Philadelphia Union and Toronto FC.

Head Coach Jeff Cassar returns 21 players from last season's roster, including Major League Soccer's all-time leader in games played by a field player, Captain Kyle Beckerman, and the all-time MLS shutout leader, GK Nick Rimando; along with the club's all-time assist leader Javier Morales, two-time All-Star Tony Beltran, August addition Juan Manuel Martinez and FW Joao Plata, who won the club's Golden Boot award in 2014.

The general public sale for 2016 season tickets is ongoing. The Rio Tinto Stadium box office is open Mon.-Fri., 10a-6p; more information can be found online at www.RSL.com/Tickets or via the Fan Relations Hotline at 801-727-2702.

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