Sporting Kansas City unveiled details on Thursday for the team’s 2012 pre-season schedule, beginning with the team’s first day of training in Kansas City on Jan. 20. The team will then travel to Tucson, Ariz. for a training stint before competing in the 2012 Disney Pro Soccer Classic along with five other MLS clubs.
Sporting Kansas City will have more than seven weeks of preparation for the start of the 2012 campaign, with the team’s home opener coming on March 17 at LIVESTRONG Sporting Park.
As in previous years, Sporting KC will play exhibition matches against other MLS clubs while based in Tucson. Further details, including scheduled dates and opponents, will be made available in coming weeks, but all matches in Tucson will be closed to the general public.
After returning to Kansas City following two weeks of training in Arizona, the team will depart for Orlando to take part in the 2012 Disney Pro Soccer Classic, an eight-team tournament spanning from Feb. 24 – March 3.
Sporting Kansas City will open the tournament in a rematch of the 2011 MLS Eastern Conference Championship match against the Houston Dynamo on Feb. 24, followed by matches against MLS expansion club Montreal Impact on Feb. 26 and Vancouver Whitecaps FC on Feb. 29.
The 2012 adidas MLS Player Combine will be held Jan. 6 – 9 in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, followed by the 2012 MLS SuperDraft presented by adidas at the Kansas City Convention Center on Jan. 12. Sporting Kansas City holds the 16th overall and 30th overall selections in the SuperDraft, which will begin at 11 a.m. CT, live on ESPN2, and will be free and open to the public.
See below for the 2012 pre-season schedule, subject to change.
Sporting Kansas City 2012 Pre-Season Schedule:
Jan. 19 – Entrance physicals at Sporting Club Training Center in Swope Park
Jan. 20 – Training in Kansas City
Jan. 29 – Team departs for Tucson
Feb. 14 – Team returns to Kansas City
Feb. 20 – Team departs for Orlando
March 4 – Team returns to Kansas City
March 10 - First Kick 2012, Sporting KC at D.C. United
March 17 – Home opener at LIVESTRONG Sporting Park
