ATLANTA — Atlanta United will play 18 nationally televised games during the 2020 MLS season, according to the league schedule released Thursday.
The season will start Feb. 29 at expansion side Nashville, which was previously announced, and end on Oct. 4 at D.C. United. Atlanta United will open its home schedule against Cincinnati on March 7. Mercedes-Benz Stadium will be open to full capacity for the match. Other full venue matches will be announced in the new year as will single-game tickets.
All 34 of the team’s games will be broadcast on TV among ABC, Fox, ESPN, Univision, FS1, UniMas and Fox Sports South/Southeast.
The home slate includes interesting matchups against Portland on April 19, expansion side Inter Miami on May 24, a rematch of the Eastern Conference playoffs against Toronto on May 27, MLS champ Seattle on July 12, LAFC on Aug. 16, and Columbus and Darlington Nagbe on Sept. 26.
Challenging road trips include at Chicago in its new home of Soldier Field on March 21, at Orlando with new coach Oscar Pareja on April 26, New England on July 8 and at Toronto on Sept. 12. Its longest stretch of road games is May 30-June 17 when it plays at San Jose on May 30, at Houston on June 13 and at NYCFC on June 17.
Unlike last year, when Atlanta United played at Vancouver, at Seattle, at Portland and at LAFC, this season it will only take two road trips West: at San Jose and at the L.A. Galaxy on July 18.
With the addition of two expansion teams, the league was forced to go with an unbalanced schedule. As a result, Atlanta United won’t face Dallas, Colorado or Vancouver.
The team will play seven mid-week games, including three in July and two in August.
It will play six league games in May and July and seven in August.
International breaks are March 23-31, June 1-9 and Aug. 31-Sept. 8.
Other games already scheduled are the Champions League Feb. 18-20 and Feb. 25-27. Atlanta United will begin defense of its U.S. Open Cup on May 19 or 20.
SCHEDULE
Home games in bold. All times Eastern
Feb. 18-20 at Motagua in Champions League
Feb. 25-27 vs. Motagua in Champions League
Feb. 29 at Nashville SC, 8 p.m. Fox
March 7 vs. FC Cincinnati, 7 p.m., FSSO/FSSE
March 14 vs Sporting Kansas City, 7 p.m., FSSO/FSSE
March 21 at Chicago Fire FC, 3:30 p.m., UNIV
April 5 at FC Cincinnati, 5 p.m., FSSO/FSSE
April 19 vs. Portland Timbers, 6:30 p.m., FS1
April 26 at Orlando City SC, 1 p.m., ESPN
May 3 vs. Real Salt Lake, 3 p.m., FSSO/FSSE
May 9 at Philadelphia Union, TBD, FSSO/FSSE
May 16 at New York Red Bulls, 1 p.m., UniMas
May 19 or 20, Entry into U.S. Open Cup
May 24 vs. Inter Miami FC, 6:30 p.m., FS1
May 27 vs. Toronto FC, 7:30 p.m., FSSO/FSSE
May 30 at San Jose Earthquakes, 6 p.m., UniMas
June 13 at Houston Dynamo, 8:30 p.m., FSSO/FSSE
June 17 at New York City FC, 7 p.m., FSSO/FSSE
June 20 vs. Philadelphia Union, 5:30 p.m., ESPN
June 27 at Columbus Crew SC, 7:30 p.m., FSSO/FSSE
July 1 vs. Montreal Impact, 7 p.m., FSSO/FSSE
July 4 vs. D.C. United, 5 p.m., ESPN
July 8 at New England Revolution, 7:30 p.m., FSSO/FSSE
July 12 vs. Seattle Sounders FC, 12:30 p.m., FS1
July 18 at LA Galaxy, 4 p.m., ESPNJuly 23 at Inter Miami FC, 8 p.m., ESPN
Aug. 1 vs. New York City FC, 3 p.m., ABC
Aug. 9 at Minnesota United, 3 p.m., ABC
Aug. 12 vs. New England Revolution, 7:30 p.m., FSSO/FSSE
Aug. 16 vs. LAFC, 3 p.m., ABC
Aug. 23 vs. Orlando City SC, 2:30 p.m., Fox
Aug. 26 at Montreal Impact, 7 p.m., FSSO/FSSE
Aug. 30 vs. New York Red Bulls, 6:30 p.m., FS1
Sept. 12 at Toronto FC, 7:30 p.m., FSSO/FSSE
Sept. 19 vs. Chicago Fire FC, 3:30 p.m., UNIV
Sept. 26 vs. Columbus Crew SC, 6 p.m., FSSO/FSSE
Oct. 4 at D.C. United, 4:30 p.m., FSSO/FSSE
This article was written by Doug Roberson, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution.