Sporting KC 2016 regular season schedule was released on Thursday, allowing fans and players alike to mark their calendars for the most anticipated games of the year. In the space below, we provide a quick rundown of all 34 matches -- in 140 characters or less.
<strong>Date</strong> |
<strong>Opponent</strong> |
<strong>Outlook</strong> |
Sunday, March 6 |
at Seattle Sounders FC |
In four trips to Cascadia clubs last year, Sporting KC went 2-0-2 with four shutouts. No team has more season-opening wins than KC’s 12. |
Saturday, March 12 |
VANCOUVER WHITECAPS FC |
Unbeaten at home vs. Vancouver (2-0-1), Sporting KC seeks its first home-opening win since 2012. KC is 12-2-6 all-time in home openers. |
Sunday, March 20 |
TORONTO FC |
Jozy Altidore, Michael Bradley and MLS MVP Sebastian Giovinco will try to snap Toronto’s seven-game winless run in Kansas City (0-6-1). |
Saturday, April 2 |
REAL SALT LAKE |
RSL hasn’t scored in four regular season trips to Children’s Mercy Park all-time. This fierce rivalry reached a new level last year. |
Saturday, April 9 |
at New York Red Bulls |
Sporting KC is winless in five vs. Bradley Wright-Phillips and the Red Bulls, who enter 2016 as the reigning Supporters’ Shield champs. |
Wednesday, April 13 |
COLORADO RAPIDS |
As <a href="https://twitter.com/JakeYadrich/status/685213062970748929" target="_blank">@JakeYadrich points out</a>, Sporting celebrates the 20th anniversary of its inaugural match on April 13, a 1996 rematch against Colorado. |
Sunday, April 17 |
at FC Dallas |
Sporting KC and FC Dallas combined to score 20 goals in four meetings across all competitions last year. The home team won all four games. |
Sunday, April 24 |
at San Jose Earthquakes |
Sporting KC seeks its first win at San Jose since 2000. During this drought, KC is 0-12-5 (including playoffs) with seven goals scored. |
Wednesday, April 27 |
at Vancouver Whitecaps FC |
Sporting KC’s 10 regular season wins in Canada are tied for the most all-time among MLS clubs (10-5-5). |
Sunday, May 1 |
LA GALAXY |
International stars Giovani dos Santos and Steven Gerrard come to KC as LA seeks its first-ever win at Children’s Mercy Park (0-3-1). |
Satuday, May 7 |
at Houston Dynamo |
It’s a homecoming for Sporting KC’s newly acquired midfielder Brad Davis, who is Houston’s all-time leader in games played and assists. |
Wednesday, May 11 |
at Colorado Rapids |
Sporting KC has just one defeat in its last six games at Dick’s Sporting Goods Park, but lost 2-1 in the most recent visit last August. |
Sunday, May 15 |
ORLANDO CITY SC |
Led by Brazilian star Kaka and former Sporting KC defender Aurelien Collin, Orlando City SC will play its inaugural MLS match in KC. |
Saturday, May 21 |
REAL SALT LAKE |
For the second time in 2016, Real Salt Lake revisits the site of its penalty shootout defeat to Sporting KC in the 2013 MLS Cup. |
Friday, May 27 |
D.C. UNITED |
Will this be the final homecoming for D.C. United’s Davy Arnaud? The 35-year-old scored 52 goals in 273 total games for KC from 2002-2011. |
Thursday, June 2 |
at LA Galaxy |
The last game before the Copa America break sees Sporting KC visit an LA side that is 65-11-17 at home since 2011 (including playoffs). |
Sunday, June 19 |
FC DALLAS |
Sporting KC outscored FC Dallas 13-3 in three home games across all competitions last year. |
Saturday, June 25 |
at Montreal Impact |
Dom Dwyer has seven goals in his last four appearances against Montreal, each of which has resulted in a Sporting KC win. |
Sunday, July 3 |
COLUMBUS CREW SC |
It’s a homecoming for Crew SC striker Kei Kamara, who scored 41 goals for Sporting KC in 126 games across all competitions (2009-13). |
Sunday, July 10 |
NEW YORK CITY FC |
European legends Frank Lampard, Andrea Pirlo and New York City FC visit Children’s Mercy Park for the first time ever. |
Wednesday, July 13 |
at Chicago Fire |
Sporting KC is 4-17-2 all-time in Chicago. This will be the club's final mid-week match of the 2016 regular season. |
Saturday, July 16 |
at Colorado Rapids |
KC travels from Chicago to Colorado on three days’ rest. This may be the perfect window for the Roaddron to take a two-game road trip. |
Sunday, July 24 |
SEATTLE SOUNDERS FC |
All 13 matches between Sporting KC and Seattle (all competitions) have been decided by one goal or less. |
Sunday, July 31 |
PORTLAND TIMBERS |
The defending MLS Cup champion Timbers haven’t scored in 392 regular season minutes against Sporting KC dating back to April 2013. |
Sunday, Aug. 7 |
at Portland Timbers |
Counting the 2015 playoff game as a tie, the home team in the KC-POR series is winless in seven straight meetings in all competitions. |
Saturday, Aug. 13 |
at FC Dallas |
FC Dallas boasts a 27-6-5 MLS home record since the start of 2014 (including playoffs). No club has more home wins during that time. |
Saturday, Aug. 20 |
VANCOUVER WHITECAPS FC |
Sporting KC is 13-3-3 at home against Canadian clubs all-time. By this point in the season, the playoff race will be in full swing. |
Saturday, Aug. 27 |
at Philadelphia Union |
It’s a rematch of the 2015 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup Final, which Sporting KC won in penalties last September at PPL Park. |
Friday, Sept. 9 |
HOUSTON DYNAMO |
In the Dynamo’s lone trip to Children’s Mercy Park, Sporting KC will look for their first regular season home win vs. Houston since 2011. |
Sunday, Sept. 18 |
LA GALAXY |
Sporting KC is unbeaten in seven straight home games against the Galaxy since 2008 with a 4-0-3 record. |
Saturday, Sept. 24 |
at San Jose Earthquakes |
San Jose scored (17) and conceded (11) the fewest home goals in MLS last year, their first season at the new Avaya Stadium. |
Saturday, Oct. 1 |
at New England Revolution |
New England will be Sporting KC’s final inter-conference opponent of the regular season. Vermes’ side went 6-2-2 against the East last year. |
Sunday, Oct. 16 |
at Real Salt Lake |
By the time this game is played, Kyle Beckerman and Brad Davis will likely rank No. 1 and 2 in appearances in MLS history. |
Sunday, Oct. 23 |
SAN JOSE EARTHQUAKES |
In one of 10 matches played concurrently on Decision Day, KC will hope it’s on the precipice of a sixth straight playoff appearance. |
