MLS 25th season broadcast schedule delivers most expansive coverage in league history including network coverage on ABC, FOX, and Univision
FOX Sports to showcase Nashville SC inaugural match on FOX, Feb. 29; Inter Miami CF debut highlights ESPN double-header on March 1
NEW YORK
(Thursday, December 19, 2019)
– In anticipation of Major League Soccer’s landmark 25th Season Celebration, the league today unveiled the 2020 MLS regular season schedule. Welcoming Inter Miami CF and Nashville SC, the 2020 season schedule kicks off on February 29 and delivers weekly must-see matchups through the season finale on October 4, Decision Day presented by AT&T.
In 2020, each club will play 34 games (17 home and 17 away), facing conference opponents twice, and playing 10 games against non-conference opponents. Every regular season game in 2020 is a must-win match with the highest seeded teams again earning homefield advantage in the single-elimination Audi MLS Cup Playoffs. The schedule for the final two weeks of the season will elevate that intensity even further, each weekend featuring 12 intraconference matches and just one non-conference matchup as teams battle for playoff spots and positioning at the end of the regular season.
Accompanying the schedule of competition, Major League Soccer today also unveiled the 25th season broadcast details that feature the most expansive network coverage in league history. An all-time high 46 network broadcast windows across ABC, FOX, Univision and UniMás in the U.S. will be complemented by eight matches broadcast on CTV in Canada. In the U.S., the nationally broadcast matches will be available in both English and Spanish-language through ABC, ESPN, ESPN2 and ESPN Deportes as well as FOX, FS1 and FOX Deportes. Matches will also air in Spanish on Univision, UniMás, and TUDN.
In addition to the games airing on national broadcast partners, MLS LIVE will showcase every out-of-market match in the U.S. on ESPN+ and MLS fans in Canada can view more than 300 regular season matches through the DAZN live streaming service. Univision and UniMás matches will be streamed live in English on Twitter.
A media partner since MLS’s inaugural season, ESPN will celebrate MLS’s landmark 25th season with a total of 31 matches, including 10 on ABC television. The network’s coverage leads off with Portland Timbers versus LA Galaxy on May 2, and also features the first installment of El Tráfico between LAFC and the LA Galaxy on May 16, as well as matches in markets such as Seattle and Atlanta. In addition to the ABC television schedule, as part of the MLS 25th season, ESPN will showcase San Jose vs. D.C. United on April 11, a celebration of the league’s inaugural match that featured the same two teams 24 years ago. While celebrating MLS’s past, ESPN will also be a part of Major League Soccer’s innovative future, showcasing the MLS All-Star Game presented by Target featuring the MLS All-Stars vs. LIGA MX All-Stars on Wednesday, July 29 live from Banc of California Stadium in Los Angeles.
Kicking off their 2020 season coverage in primetime, FOX Sports network will bring fans Nashville SC’s inaugural match on FOX, February 29, as they face Atlanta United in front of a home crowd at Nissan Stadium. Following the opening weekend, FOX will see a strong schedule throughout 2020 including Inter Miami CF’s inaugural home match against David Beckham’s former team, the LA Galaxy on March 14, as well as the El Tráfico match between LAFC and the LA Galaxy during Heineken Rivalry Week. In 2020, FS1 will finish out the regular season with Decision Day presented by AT&T on October 4, as clubs battle for playoff spots and postseason positioning.
Univision coverage of the MLS 25th season will see 32 games air across Univision and UniMás, the most in league history, with all games simulcast on TUDN. Fourteen games will air on Univision network including Chicago Fire FC’s much anticipated return to Soldier Field on March 21 against Atlanta United. Eighteen games will air on UniMás in 2020, highlighted by seven consecutive Saturday night MLS doubleheaders from May 30 through July 11. In addition to regular season matches, Univision will also bring fans Spanish-language coverage of the 2020 MLS All-Star Game presented by Target as the MLS All-Stars lineup across from the LIGA MX All-Stars on July 29 in Los Angeles.
Canadian coverage of the 2020 MLS regular season action will see TSN bring Canadian fans matches from all three clubs in Canada, including every Toronto FC and Vancouver Whitecaps match. The Canadian television schedule is highlighted by eight CTV games on network television. TVA Sports will broadcast every Montreal Impact match as they enter 2020 with new coach, FIFA World Cup winner and former MLS All-Star Thierry Henry.
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for the 2020 MLS Regular Season Schedule
Key Moments in the 2020 MLS Schedule:
MLS IS BACK
MLS is back on Saturday, Feb. 29, when FOX and FOX Deportes will broadcast Nashville SC’s inaugural MLS game as they host Atlanta United at 8 p.m. This will be FOX’s first prime-time broadcast of a regular season MLS game in history. Among the other top games that day feature the Houston Dynamo hosting the LA Galaxy in a Western Conference battle (Univision), and the MLS head coaching debut of Thierry Henry, as his Montreal Impact meet the New England Revolution (TSN/TVA Sports). The exciting Opening Weekend for MLS’ 25th season continues on Sunday, March 1 with a doubleheader on ESPN and ESPN Deportes. The reigning MLS Cup champions, Seattle Sounders FC host the new-look Chicago Fire FC at 3 p.m. ET, followed by Inter Miami CF’s first MLS game – a matchup against 2019 Landon Donovan MLS MVP Carlos Vela and defending Supporters’ Shield champions, Los Angeles Football Club at 5:30 p.m. ET.
25th SEASON CELEBRATION MATCHES
On April 6, 1996, the inaugural MLS match was played between D.C. United and the San Jose Clash (now Earthquakes) and almost 24 years later to the day, the two clubs will line up again on April 11, 2020 in a rematch of the inaugural game, broadcast live on ESPN and ESPN Deportes.
In addition, the two 1996 MLS Cup finalists will also face off in 2020 with the LA Galaxy hosting D.C. United on May 27 (ESPN+).
2019 MLS CUP REMATCH
On July 18, Toronto FC will host MLS Cup champions Seattle Sounders FC in a rematch of the 2019 MLS Cup live on TSN and available on MLS LIVE through ESPN+ in the U.S.
2020 MLS ALL-STAR GAME PRESENTED BY TARGET
The MLS 25th Season Celebration will be highlighted by the 2020 MLS All-Star Game presented by Target on July 29. This year’s edition of the MLS midseason classic sees the best of MLS squaring off against an all-star team from LIGA MX at Banc of California Stadium in Los Angeles. This global soccer event will be broadcast on ESPN and Univision networks in the U.S., TSN and TVA Sports in Canada, and in more than 170 countries worldwide.
HEINEKEN RIVALRY WEEK
Among the marquee moments featured throughout the 2020 schedule, Heineken Rivalry Week returns from Aug. 20-23 as a four-day celebration of top rivalry matchups, both new and old. From historic rivalries such as Portland Timbers vs. Seattle Sounders FC, to the fierce newcomers such as El Trafico between LAFC and the LA Galaxy, Heineken Rivalry Week will showcase the most passionate moments on the pitch and in the stands. In addition to the established rivalries, Heineken Rivalry Week will this season also highlight the match between Florida clubs Inter Miami and Orlando City as the regional foes faceoff at Inter Miami CF Stadium in Fort Lauderdale.
DECISION DAY PRESENTED BY AT&T
It all comes down to the final day of action on Sunday, Oct. 4 with Decision Day presented by AT&T. All 26 MLS clubs will be in action with 12 intraconference matches and one cross-conference match that all kick off simultaneously at 4:30 p.m. ET. FS1 and FOX Deportes will select one feature match to broadcast, and will provide special, around-the-league coverage from beginning to end.
