Sporting KC Kicks off 2021 Preseason

March 1, 2021 - Major League Soccer (MLS)
Sporting Kansas City News Release

Sporting Kansas City has kicked off the club's 2021 preseason, presented by Children's Mercy.

Sporting's preseason calendar includes one week of voluntary training beginning today at Compass Minerals National Performance Center in Kansas City, Kansas, followed by four weeks of training at Phoenix Rising FC's new training facility at Wild Horse Pass in Chandler, Arizona. The club will return to Kansas City for another two weeks of preparation prior to the 2021 MLS regular season, which will kick off the weekend of April 17.

Sporting players began reporting to Kansas City in February to complete a required seven-day quarantine period prior to completing their entrance physicals. All players who have completed their seven-day quarantine and continually tested negative throughout the quarantine period will begin voluntary training today at Compass Minerals National Performance Center. Sporting will continue to follow comprehensive health and safety protocols throughout preseason, including COVID-19 testing every other day.

For the 12th straight year, Sporting will spend part of their preseason training camp in Arizona. The club will train at Wild Horse Pass and is currently scheduled to play preseason matches on March 13, March 20, March 24 and April 3 (all dates subject to change). Sporting will announce preseason match details soon, with live coverage of each game available on Twitter at @SKCMatchday.

The 2021 MLS regular season is scheduled to begin the weekend of April 17 and consist of 34 matches for all 27 clubs. Sporting's 2021 regular season schedule will be released in the coming weeks.

Sporting's preseason calendar is listed below, with additional media availabilities to be confirmed in the near term and all dates subject to change.

Sporting KC 2021 Preseason Calendar

(all dates subject to change)

Monday, March 1

Sporting begins voluntary training at Compass Minerals National Performance Center

Tuesday, March 2

10 a.m. CT media availability with Peter Vermes (click here to join call)

Tuesday, March 2 12:30 p.m. CT media availability with Gianluca Busio, Tim Melia, Johnny Russell and Khiry Shelton (click here to join call)

Sunday, March 7

Sporting travels to Arizona

Monday, March 8

Sporting begins preseason training

Saturday, March 13

Preseason match vs. opponent TBD

Saturday, March 20

Preseason match vs. opponent TBD

Wednesday, March 24

Preseason match vs. opponent TBD

Saturday, April 3

Preseason match vs. opponent TBD

Sunday, April 4

Sporting returns to Kansas City

April 17-18

MLS regular season opening weekend

Sporting will look to build upon a successful 2020 season that saw the team finish first in the Western Conference and post a 12-6-3 record, good for 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.

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Major League Soccer Stories from March 1, 2021

• Colorado Rapids Announce 2021 Preseason Schedule - Colorado Rapids
• New York City FC Announce Preseason for 2021 Season - New York City FC
• FC Dallas Announces 2021 Preseason Schedule - FC Dallas
• Philadelphia Union Announce 2021 Preseason Schedule - Philadelphia Union
• Chicago Fire FC Announces Three Additional 2021 Preseason Opponents - Chicago Fire FC
• Inter Miami CF Announces Phil Neville's Technical Staff - Inter Miami CF
• LA Galaxy Defender Julian Araujo and Goalkeeper Jonathan Klinsmann Named to U.S. U-23 Men's National Team Camp Roster - LA Galaxy
• Vancouver Whitecaps FC Confirm Details for the Start of the 2021 Training Camp - Vancouver Whitecaps FC
• Michel and Perea Called up to U-23 USMNT Training Camp - Orlando City SC
• LAFC and Real So Cal Soccer Club to Form LAFC So Cal Youth - Los Angeles FC
• Midfielder Djordje Mihailovic Selected by the United States U-23 National Team - Club de Foot Montreal
• Rapids Lead MLS Clubs with Four Players Called to U-23 Training Camp Ahead of Olympic Qualifiers - Colorado Rapids
• Eryk Williamson Called up to U-23 U.S. Men's National Team Training Camp Ahead of CONCACAF Olympic Qualifying Championship - Portland Timbers
• Frankie Amaya called up to U.S. Under-23 Men's National Team - FC Cincinnati
• RSL Trio Called to U-23 USMNT Training Camp - Real Salt Lake
• Chicago Fire FC Defender/Midfielder Mauricio Pineda Named to U.S. U-23 Men's National Team - Chicago Fire FC
• FC Dallas Homegrown Trio Called to U-23 USMNT Training Camp Ahead of CONCACAF Men's Olympic Qualifying Championship - FC Dallas
• Henry Kessler Named to U.S. Under-23 Men's National Team Roster for CONCACAF Men's Olympic Qualifying Championship Training Camp - New England Revolution
• Colorado Rapids 2021 Preseason Roster - Colorado Rapids
• Nashville SC Announces 2021 Preseason Schedule - Nashville SC
• Austin FC Announces Preseason Training Camp ahead of Inaugural 2021 MLS Season - Austin FC
• New York Red Bulls Add Youba Diarra on Loan from Red Bull Salzburg - New York Red Bulls
• Sporting KC Kicks off 2021 Preseason - Sporting Kansas City
• CF Montreal Announces New Partnership with BET99.net - Club de Foot Montreal

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