MLS Sporting Kansas City

Sporting Releases Schedule for Next Six Matches, Announces Reduced-Capacity Plan

Published on August 8, 2020 under Major League Soccer (MLS)
Sporting Kansas City News Release


Sporting Kansas City has released the club's schedule for the first phase of the continued 2020 MLS regular season in home markets, featuring six total matches between Aug. 21 and Sept. 13 and three home fixtures at Children's Mercy Park.

All MLS clubs will play 18 additional league matches in a phased approach, concluding with Decision Day on Nov. 8 to complete the 23-game regular season. The Audi MLS Cup Playoffs are slated to begin Nov. 20 with 18 teams and will culminate with the 25th MLS Cup on Dec. 12.

Major League Soccer's return to play in the home markets of all 26 clubs will feature comprehensive health and safety protocols, including regular testing of players, coaches and essential staff for COVID-19. MLS plans to announce the balance of the regular season schedule by early September as the league continues to work with infectious disease experts, league and club medical personnel, and government officials in all markets in charting a course for the completion of the 2020 season.

MEDIA ASSETS: Soundbites from Sporting Kansas City Manager and Sporting Director Peter Vermes and forward Alan Pulido as well as training photos and b-roll are available to download here.

TODAY: Major League Soccer Commissioner Don Garber will be available to the media during a video conference call today at 11:45 a.m. CT, following the league's announcement to continue its 25th season in home markets. Register and join the video media conference and using password: MLSPress.

MONDAY: Sporting Kansas City will host a video press conference for media members with President & CEO Jake Reid on Monday, Aug. 10, at 10 a.m. CT. Reid will discuss the continued MLS regular season and Sporting's plan for reduced-capacity homes matches, among other topics. To register in advance, click here .

Each of Sporting's next six matches will air live on FOX Sports Kansas City or FOX Sports Kansas City Plus in Kansas, Nebraska and western Missouri and on FOX Sports Midwest or FOX Sports Midwest Plus in St. Louis, mid-Missouri and Iowa. They can also be streamed via the FOX Sports GO app or FOXSportsGO.com by customers of pay-TV providers who receive the channel. Each broadcast will be supplemented by 30-minute pregame and postgame shows. Viewers outside of the FOX Sports Midwest footprint in the U.S. can watch every match on ESPN+.

Additionally, all six games will air locally in English on Sports Radio 810 WHB or one of its sister stations, and in Spanish on La Grande 1340 AM.

Sporting KC Schedule: First Phase of Continued 2020 Regular Season

Date Opponent Time (CT) TV & Streaming

Friday, Aug. 21 at Minnesota United FC 6:30 p.m. FOX Sports Kansas City Plus; FOX Sports GO

Tuesday, Aug. 25 HOUSTON DYNAMO 7:30 p.m. FOX Sports Kansas City Plus; FOX Sports GO

Saturday, Aug. 29 at Colorado Rapids 8 p.m. FOX Sports Kansas City; FOX Sports GO

Wednesday, Sept. 2 FC DALLAS 7:30 p.m. FOX Sports Kansas City Plus; FOX Sports GO

Saturday, Sept. 5 at Houston Dynamo 7 p.m. FOX Sports Kansas City Plus; FOX Sports GO

Sunday, Sept. 13 MINNESOTA UNITED FC 7:30 p.m. FOX Sports Kansas City; FOX Sports GO

In conjunction with today's schedule release, Sporting Kansas City has also announced the club's plan for reduced-capacity, socially distanced seating for the home matches at Children's Mercy Park during the first phase.

Following detailed safety protocols developed in conjunction with the Unified Government of Wyandotte County and Kansas City, Kansas, Sporting's next three home matches at Children's Mercy Park will be held at a reduced capacity of approximately 14%. The stadium seating plan will adhere to proper social distancing guidelines and face coverings will be mandatory for fans, along with a number of other new safety measures including a tailored ingress timing plan that promotes physical distancing upon entry.

The reduced-capacity plan at Children's Mercy Park was developed through significant collaboration between Sporting Kansas City and the Unified Government prior to receiving local and state approval.

"The safety and wellbeing of fans, players and staff at Children's Mercy Park remains our top priority," said Dr. Neal Erickson, Primary Care Physician at Sporting Kansas City. "After consulting extensively with local officials, government authorities and public health experts, we feel confident about the detailed safety protocols and procedures in place at Sporting KC home matches. We will continue to monitor the evolving public health landscape and adapt accordingly."

Tickets for the next three home matches will be available exclusively to Sporting Kansas City Season Ticket Members via lotteries and no single-game tickets will be sold by the club on SeatGeek.com or at the stadium box office. For more information, Season Ticket Members can contact their Membership Service Executives.

A limited number of media members will be credentialed to cover Sporting Kansas City's next three home matches at Children's Mercy Park. Media must apply for single-game credentials and can click here for more details.

COVID-19 testing protocols will continue to play an important role in the league's competition framework. MLS continues to work closely with the league's infectious disease advisors as well as advisors for the MLSPA on the plan for testing. All clubs are forming testing partnerships with a local certified lab, and all players, technical staff and essential club staff will be tested every other day, including the day before each match day. Teams will also take chartered flights, and for the majority of road trips will arrive in the host market on matchday and depart after the match later that evening.

KEY DATES

Aug. 21: Sporting resumes regular season at Minnesota United FC

Aug. 25: Sporting hosts Houston Dynamo in first match back at Children's Mercy Park

Nov. 8: Regular season ends on Decision Day

Dec. 12: MLS Cup

Check out the Sporting Kansas City Statistics

Share: Facebook | Twitter/X | LinkedIn | Reddit | Email



Major League Soccer Stories from August 8, 2020


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.

OurSports Central