PORTLAND, Ore. – Major League Soccer announced the schedule and broadcast details for all 54 matches of the MLS is Back Tournament. The Portland Timbers will open up Group F play against the LA Galaxy on Monday, July 13. Beginning at 7:30 p.m. (Pacific), the match against the Galaxy will feature a national broadcast on FS1.
Continuing Group F play, the Timbers will square off against the Houston Dynamo on Saturday, July 18; kickoff is set for 5 p.m. (Pacific) on ESPN2. Closing out the Group Stage, the Timbers will face off against Los Angeles FC on Thursday, July 23. Beginning at 7:30 p.m. (Pacific), the match against LAFC will air on ESPN2. Portland enters the MLS is Back Tournament with a 1-1-0 record during the 2020 campaign.
The Group Stage presented by Heineken will consist of 16 consecutive days of games with each MLS club playing three matches against teams within their drawn groups. All group stage match results will count in the 2020 MLS regular season standings, as well as toward qualification to the MLS is Back Tournament Knockout Stage presented by Audi.
The tournament will continue in the Knockout Stage presented by Audi with eight Round-of-16 matches, played as doubleheaders on four consecutive evenings (July 25-28), followed by four quarterfinal matches (July 30-Aug 1), two semifinal games (Aug. 5-6) and the MLS is Back Tournament Final on August 11 at 5 p.m. (Pacific) (ESPN/ESPN Deportes/TSN). The tournament champion will earn a spot in the 2021 Scotiabank Concacaf Champions League.
- In addition to the schedule announcement, MLS today confirmed a change to the tournament’s competition structure. The top three teams from Group A, the six-team group, will advance to the Knockout Stage presented by Audi. Those three teams will be joined by the top two teams from the remaining five groups, as well as the next three highest ranked teams from the Group Stage presented by Heineken (the fourth-placed team in Group A is eligible to advance) based on points, goal difference, goals for, fair play points. For the MLS is Back Tournament Competition Guidelines, click here.
For the complete MLS Is Back Tournament schedule, click here.
Portland Timbers MLS is Back Tournament Group F Schedule
<strong><u>Date</u></strong> |
<strong><u>Opponent</u></strong> |
<strong><u>Kickoff (Pacific)</u></strong> |
<strong><u>Broadcast</u></strong> |
Mon., July 13 |
LA Galaxy |
7:30 p.m. |
FS1 / TUDN |
Sat., July 18 |
Houston Dynamo |
5 p.m. |
ESPN2 / ESPN Deportes |
Thurs., July 23 |
Los Angeles FC |
7:30 p.m. |
ESPN2 / ESPN Deportes |
MLS is Back Tournament Schedule Quick Facts
16 Consecutive Match Dates: The Group Stage presented by Heineken will consist of 16 days of consecutive match dates followed by the Knockout Stage presented by Audi.
Rest & Recovery: All clubs will have at least four full days between matches.
Soccer Mornings: Seven matches will take place at 6 a.m. (Pacific), all of which will air on ESPN and ESPN Deportes in the U.S. and on TSN in Canada. Clubs will participate in no more than one morning match during the tournament. The first morning match is July 9 when New York City FC take on Philadelphia Union.
