D.C. United will open the 2022 MLS season Feb. 26 at Audi Field against expansion Charlotte FC, then visit FC Cincinnati a week later, the league announced Monday.
The starting date is the earliest in league history, beating the 2019 openers by three days. As previously announced, each team again will play 34 matches through Oct. 9 — home and away against all conference opponents and eight (four home, four away) against nonconference teams. The playoffs will culminate Nov. 5 with MLS Cup.
Charlotte has hired a coach, Spaniard Miguel Ángel Ramírez, and signed eight players but will accelerate its roster-building in the coming weeks through the expansion draft Dec. 14 and other MLS acquisition platforms, plus international signings.
United’s second match, at Cincinnati’s TQL Stadium, is against the worst team in the league the past three seasons. This year, D.C. earned a 0-0 draw in Cincinnati and won the home leg, 4-2.
Every team will play its home opener the first three weekends, except Nashville SC, which will compete on the road until a new venue at the Nashville Fairgrounds is ready May 1 against the Philadelphia Union. The team played its first two seasons at Nissan Stadium, home of the NFL’s Tennessee Titans.
With a capacity of 30,000, the new stadium will be the largest in the country built specifically for soccer.
MLS home openers
Feb. 26
All times Eastern.
Columbus Crew vs. Vancouver Whitecaps (3:30 p.m., Lower.com Field)
Los Angeles FC vs. Colorado Rapids (3:30 p.m., Banc of California Stadium)
FC Dallas vs. Toronto FC (5:30 p.m., Toyota Stadium)
Austin FC vs. FC Cincinnati (6 p.m., Q2 Stadium)
D.C. United vs. Charlotte FC (6 p.m., Audi Field)
San Jose Earthquakes vs. New York Red Bulls (6 p.m., PayPal Park)
Inter Miami vs. Chicago Fire (6 p.m., DRV PNK Stadium)
Portland Timbers vs. New England Revolution (7:30 p.m., Providence Park)
Philadelphia Union vs. Minnesota United (TBD, Subaru Park)
Feb. 27
Orlando City vs. CF Montréal (1 p.m., Exploria Stadium)
Atlanta United vs. Sporting Kansas City (3 p.m., Mercedes-Benz Stadium)
Los Angeles Galaxy vs. New York City FC (5 p.m., Dignity Health Sports Park)
Houston Dynamo vs. Real Salt Lake (7 p.m., PNC Stadium)
Seattle Sounders vs. Nashville SC (TBD, Lumen Field)
March 5
New England Revolution vs. FC Dallas (1:30 p.m., Gillette Stadium)
Toronto FC vs. New York Red Bulls (2 p.m., BMO Field)
Sporting Kansas City vs. Houston Dynamo (3:30 p.m., Children’s Mercy Park)
CF Montréal vs. Philadelphia Union (4 p.m., Olympic Stadium)
Chicago Fire vs. Orlando City (6 p.m., Soldier Field)
Colorado Rapids vs. Atlanta United (6 p.m., Dick’s Sporting Goods Park)
Real Salt Lake vs. Seattle Sounders (6 p.m., Rio Tinto Stadium)
Vancouver Whitecaps vs. New York City FC (6 p.m., BC Place)
Minnesota United vs. Nashville SC (6 p.m., Allianz Field)
FC Cincinnati vs. D.C. United (6 p.m., TQL Stadium)
Charlotte FC vs. Los Angeles Galaxy (8 p.m., Bank of America Stadium)
March 12
New York City FC vs. CF Montréal (2 p.m., Yankee Stadium)
March 13
New York Red Bulls vs. Minnesota United (2 p.m., Red Bull Arena)
May 1
Nashville SC vs. Philadelphia Union (4 p.m., Nashville SC Stadium)
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