SportingKC.com spent the final week of 2017 reliving the year’s greatest moments.
Now, as the calendar turns to 2018, it’s time to look ahead at what the next 12 months have in store. Needless to say, there is no shortage of reasons for excitement as Sporting Kansas City prepares for its 23rd season as a charter member of Major League Soccer.
Without further ado, here are 18 things to get excited about as 2018 unfolds.
1. The National Training Center
When the National Training Center opens, the newest crown jewel of soccer in the United States will become the first-class training home of Sporting KC. Located less than a mile from Children’s Mercy Park, the 80,000-square-foot NTC is also set to house the U.S. Soccer National Coaching Education Center and Children’s Mercy Sports Medicine Center at Village West.
2. MLS Schedule Release
Calendars will be marked. Roaddrons will be planned. National TV matchups, reunions, rivalries and Decision Day showdowns will be underlined. Expect the 2018 MLS schedule to roll out in the next few weeks.
3. The U.S. MNT Evolution
With eyes on 2019 and beyond, the U.S. Men’s National Team will use 2018 to evolve into a greater iteration of itself. Will Matt Besler and Graham Zusi retain their roles? Will the likes of Tim Melia or Ike Opara make breakthroughs? Those questions could be answered in the near future.
4. New Faces in KC
As sure as the sun does rise, new players will join Sporting KC in the coming months. From Designated Players and SuperDraft selections to trades and signings, anything and everything remains a possibility ahead of the 2018 opener on March 4. Yohan Croizet and Khiry Shelton almost certainly won't be the only fresh arrivals.
5. Preseason in Arizona
The first opportunity to see Sporting KC in action will be the 2018 preseason, presented by Children’s Mercy. The club expects to play three scrimmages during the first leg of training in Arizona between Jan. 22 and Feb. 3. The second phase, running from Feb. 9-25, will see Sporting KC play four matches in the Mobile Mini Sun Cup.
6. Jersey Unveil
Manager Peter Vermes’ men will add a new secondary jersey before the regular season begins. And in our bullish opinion, no one has mastered kit design better than Sporting KC.
7. Season Kickoff
Last year Sporting KC welcomed all fans to a party on a rooftop to ring in the 2017 campaign. Another festive occasion is on tap this time around, so stay tuned for details in the near term.
Book it, folks: Sunday, March 4 at 6:30 p.m. CT vs. New York City FC at Children’s Mercy Park. The annual curtain raiser never disappoints, and with David Villa and company paying a visit in week one, that trend is sure to continue.
9. Rangers Rise Again?
In 2017, the Swope Park Rangers became the first team ever to make consecutive appearances in the USL Cup Final. Not a bad feather in the cap for a club that has only existed two years. Under new head coach Paulo Nagamura, the youthful Rangers are poised to facilitate the growth of Sporting KC Academy products and first-team hopefuls alike.
10. Stars of Tomorrow
Newsflash: The Sporting KC Academy is producing some must-watch players. Take Gianluca Busio and Jaylin Lindsey as prime examples. Both players earned Homegrown contracts in 2017 after excelling at the youth levels. The door remains open for other up-and-comers to make similar breakthroughs in 2018.
11. No Other Pub Watch Parties
When Sporting KC hits the road, there is no better place to catch a match than at No Other Pub in the Kansas City Power & Light District. NOP will continue to host the official watch parties for all away games, serving can’t-miss food and drink specials in one of Kansas City’s best sports and entertainment venues.
12. Stars at CMP
We already mentioned David Villa of NYCFC, but a bevy of other stars will make their way to Children’s Mercy Park over the course of the year. We’re talking Sebastian Giovinco and Toronto FC, Diego Valeri and the Portland Timbers, the Dos Santos brothers and LA Galaxy, Clint Dempsey and Seattle Sounders FC plus others. Oh, and did we mention Orlando City forward Dom Dwyer’s reunion in Kansas City?
13. The first trip to LAFC
The new Banc of California Stadium in downtown LA will be the new home of expansion side Los Angeles FC. Sporting KC will make one (maybe two) trips to the venue in 2018. Sounds like one heck of a Roaddron.
14. A New Sporting Legend
Last year Mo Johnston entered Sporting KC’s prestigious hall of honor, beating out the likes of Nick Garcia and Diego Gutierrez. This summer, another Sporting Legend will join the ranks.
15. Open Cup Title Defense
Will Sporting KC’s dynastic Open Cup run continue into 2018? The club has won three of the last six Open Cup titles, including the 2017 championship. It’s no secret how much Peter Vermes covets the knockout-style competition.
On June 12-13, the FIFA Congress will take place in Moscow, Russia ahead of the 2018 FIFA World Cup. High on the agenda: awarding the host for the 2026 World Cup. The United States, Canada and Mexico will like the chances of their joint bid winning out over Morocco, but we won’t count our chickens just yet.
17. The MLS All-Star Game
This edition of the annual summer classic will take place at the new Mercedes-Benz Stadium in downtown Atlanta. Last year Tim Melia and Ike Opara were snubbed of selections before winning Goalkeeper and Defender of the Year, respectively. Will they continue performing at a high level to warrant selection in 2018? And will anyone else on the Sporting KC roster make All-Star noise of their own?
18. The 2018 MLS Cup Playoffs
Sporting KC heads into 2018 looking to claim a playoff berth for the eighth consecutive year. Much of the club's success this season will be predicated on a sustained postseason run. Getting in will be the first step. Getting hot from there will be the next.
