With Orlando City and Portland battling for the championship in the MLS is Back Tournament on Tuesday night, the teams in Major League Soccer, including Sporting Kansas City, are announcing scheduling in regards to the “first phase” of continued regular season action.
All MLS teams will play 18 additional league matches in a phased approach, finishing with Decision Day on November 8th to complete a 23-game regular season. The Audi MLS Cup Playoffs will begin on November 20th with 18 teams competing to win the MLS Cup championship on December 12th.
The continuation of regular season play will bring teams back to their home stadiums in their home markets, with continued health and safety protocols remaining in place, including regular testing of players, coaches, and essential staff.
Each of the next six matches for Sporting will be aired on Fox Sports Kansas City or Fox Sports Kansas City Plus across the teams footprint in Kansas, Nebraska, and western Missouri.
The first match back for Kansas City sends Sporting to Allianz Field in St. Paul, Minnesota to play the rival Loons from Minnesota United FC at 6:30 on Friday, August 21st, with the first match back at Children’s Mercy Park in Kansas City, Kansas against the Houston Dynamo on Tuesday night, August 25th at 7:30. A trip west to suburban Denver to play the Colorado Rapids will follow at 8 PM on Saturday, August 29th.
On Wednesday, September 2nd, Kansas City returns to KCK to play FC Dallas at 7:30, with a trip to Houston to tangle with the Dynamo at 7 PM on Saturday, September 5th. Minnesota United FC will head to Kansas City to play Sporting at 7:30 PM on Sunday, September 13th.
In addition to the schedule announcement, Sporting Kansas City has announced the club’s plan for reduced-capacity, socially distanced seating for the matches at Children’s Mercy Park for Phase 1.