Sporting KC Home Opener Set for April 23
March 10, 2021 - Major League Soccer (MLS)
Sporting Kansas City News Release
Sporting Kansas City will host Orlando City SC on Friday, April 23, in the club's 2021 home opener at Children's Mercy Park. The 6:30 p.m. CT showdown will be televised nationally on FS1 and FOX Deportes, coming six days after Sporting kicks off the MLS campaign at the New York Red Bulls on Saturday, April 17.
MLS unveiled on Wednesday the 2021 home openers for all 27 MLS clubs, which includes Sporting's trip to Western Conference rivals Real Salt Lake on Saturday, May 1.
MEDIA ASSET: Today's press conference remarks from Sporting Kansas City Manager Peter Vermes are available to download here.
FOX Sports Kansas City, soon to be Bally Sports Kansas City, will serve as the television home of Sporting KC in 2021. The local television schedule, the full MLS regular season schedule and Sporting KC ticket information for home matches at Children's Mercy Park will be announced at a later date.
Sporting's first three matches of 2021 MLS season
Date Time (CT) Opponent Location
Saturday, April 17 12 p.m. at New York Red Bulls Red Bull Arena Harrison, N.J.
Friday, April 23 6:30 p.m. ORLANDO CITY SC Children's Mercy Park Kansas City, Kan.
Saturday, May 1 1 p.m. at Real Salt Lake Rio Tinto Stadium Sandy, Utah
Led by 13th-year manager Peter Vermes, the longest-tenured head coach in MLS, Sporting will welcome Orlando to Children's Mercy Park for the second straight season after the Lions prevailed 2-1 last September. Sporting was victorious in its first two home meetings against Orlando -- winning 2-1 in May 2016 and 1-0 in September 2018 -- and will look to improve upon a 15-3-7 all-time record in MLS home openers, including a 4-1-5 mark at Children's Mercy Park.
A visit to Red Bull Arena on April 17 will see Sporting open the regular season at fellow MLS charter member New York for the first time ever. Last season marked the first time in the 25-year history of MLS that Sporting and New York didn't square off in league play, with the most recent meeting resulting in a 2-2 draw on April 14, 2019, at Children's Mercy Park. The 56-game regular season series is dead even with both teams claiming 21 wins and 14 draws. Sporting has won an MLS-record 14 season openers dating back to the inaugural 1996 campaign, posting a 14-7-4 record in Week 1 matches.
On May 1, Sporting will travel west to renew a longstanding rivalry with Real Salt Lake at Rio Tinto Stadium. Vermes' side last visited RSL in the 2020 regular season finale on Nov. 8, earning a 2-0 victory to clinch first place in the Western Conference. The result snapped a seven-game regular season winless run at RSL and completed a sweep of the 2020 series, as Sporting previously recorded a 2-0 win over the Utah club at the MLS is Back Tournament last July.
Sporting is looking to build upon a successful 2020 season in which the team finished atop the Western Conference with a 12-6-3 record and a club-record 1.86 points per game. It was Sporting's fourth first-place conference finish under Vermes since 2011 and marked the best year-over-year improvement in MLS history, as Sporting jumped from 22nd place in the Supporters' Shield standings in 2019 to third place in 2020.
Major League Soccer Stories from March 10, 2021
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- 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
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