MLS releases schedule for 2012 season
Posted January 5, 2012 9:22 pm.
This article is more than 5 years old.
THE CANADIAN PRESS
The Vancouver Whitecaps will welcome the Montreal Impact to Major League Soccer as the league kicks off its longest season this year, with the final played Dec. 1.
The league announced in November that its 17th season will start March 10, five days earlier than in 2011. Last year’s final was Nov. 20.
With expansion Montreal giving the league 19 teams, MLS is switching to an unbalanced schedule while keeping the regular season at 34 games per team.
The Impact will have their first regular-season match on opening day in Vancouver. Montreal’s first home game will be on March 17 at Olympic Stadium.
Toronto FC will start its regular season on March 17 in Seattle against the Sounders.
However, Toronto will play its first MLS opponent at Rogers Centre when it hosts the Los Angeles Galaxy in the first leg of their CONCACAF Champions League matchup.
Toronto fans will have to wait until March 24 to see TFC play at BMO Field in a game against the San Jose Earthquakes.
Just seven games conflict with FIFA fixture dates, when many star players are away with national teams: Chicago at New England (June 1); Los Angeles at Columbus; Portland at Toronto and Houston at Vancouver (Aug. 15); Portland at Colorado (Sept. 5); Salt Lake at Houston (Sept. 6); and Chivas USA at Seattle (Sept. 8).
About 83 per cent of games are on weekends and holidays, and all 323 games will be televised live.
A record nine games are scheduled for April 28.
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With files from the Associated Press.
