PORTLAND, Ore. – Major League Soccer today announced the 2020 regular-season schedule through the end of September, as well as Audi 2020 MLS Cup Playoffs qualification and competition format. The Portland Timbers will open their three-game slate, traveling for a road match against the San Jose Earthquakes on Saturday, Sept. 19. The Timbers then return to Portland to play host to Cascadia-rival Seattle Sounders FC on Wednesday, Sept. 23, before squaring off against Vancouver Whitecaps FC on Sunday, Sept. 27, at Providence Park. Both the Sept. 23 and Sept. 27 matches will be played without fans.
As with the MLS is Back Tournament and phase one of returning to play in local markets, each team will adhere to comprehensive health and safety protocols, including regular testing of players, coaches and essential staff for COVID-19.
From Sept. 18-27, each MLS club will compete in three regular-season matches. As the league continues to finalize travel protocols, the Canadian teams will play all three of their matches in the U.S., including each club hosting one home match in a U.S. city. The Montreal Impact will host a match at Red Bull Arena in Harrison, N.J., Toronto FC at Rentschler Field in Hartford, Conn., and Vancouver Whitecaps FC at Providence Park in Portland, Ore.
Portland’s road match against San Jose on Sept. 19 will kick off at 7:30 p.m. (Pacific). The Sept. 19 match will feature a local broadcast on FOX 12 PLUS. Facing a quick turnaround, the Timbers square off against Seattle on Sept. 23 at 7 p.m. (Pacific) on FOX 12 PLUS. The Sept. 27 match against Vancouver is slated for 7 p.m. (Pacific) with a regional broadcast on ROOT SPORTS. The Timbers will play as the visiting team in their match against Whitecaps FC on Sept. 27 at Providence Park. All three matches will include local radio broadcasts on 750 The Game (English) and La GranD 1150AM/93.5 FM (Spanish).
Additional 2020 MLS regular season matches will be announced pending further developments regarding travel protocols.
In addition to announcing regular-season match details through September, MLS also today confirmed qualification details and the competition format for the Audi 2020 MLS Cup Playoffs.
The Audi MLS Cup Playoffs will again consist of single-elimination matches hosted by the higher-seeded team and follow a straight bracket format through MLS Cup on Dec.12.
As previously announced, in an expansion of the postseason for 2020, 18 clubs will compete in the Audi 2020 MLS Cup Playoffs. Eight teams from the 12-team Western Conference will qualify directly to Round 1. The top six seeds from the 14-team Eastern Conference will qualify directly to Round 1. Eastern Conference seeds 7-10 will each compete in a play-in match (No. 7 vs. No. 10, and No. 8 vs. No. 9) to determine the two additional Eastern Conference teams that will qualify for the Audi 2020 MLS Cup Playoffs Round 1.
The lower-seeded advancing team will face the Eastern Conference No. 1 seed in Round 1, while the higher-seeded advancing team will face the Eastern Conference No. 2 seed.
The Audi 2020 MLS Cup Playoffs schedule and broadcast details will be announced at a later date.
<u>Date</u> |
<u>Opponent</u> |
<u>Kickoff</u> |
<u>Television</u> |
Sat., Sept. 19 |
@San Jose Earthquakes |
7:30 p.m. |
FOX 12 PLUS |
<strong>Wed., Sept. 23</strong> |
<strong>SEATTLE SOUNDERS FC</strong> |
<strong>7 p.m.</strong> |
<strong>FOX 12 PLUS</strong> |
<strong><em>Sun., Sept. 27</em></strong> |
<strong><em>vs. Vancouver Whitecaps FC#</em></strong> |
<strong><em>7 p.m.</em></strong> |
<strong><em>ROOT SPORTS</em></strong> |
#Portland will play as the visiting team at Providence Park
