MLS NEXT Pro today unveiled Sporting Kansas City II’s schedule for the 2023 regular season which will kick off Sunday, March 26 at Colorado Rapids 2, before the team’s home opener against Austin FC II on Sunday, April 2 at Rock Chalk Park in Lawrence, KS. Tickets are now on sale for all Sporting KC II matches at SeatGeek.com and are complimentary for all Season Ticket Members upon request from your representative.
A majority of SKC II matches will be available to stream with an MLS Season Pass subscription on the Apple TV App with the remaining matches being shown on MLSNEXTPro.com.
In MLS NEXT Pro’s second season, seven new clubs join SKC II and the other founding members bringing the league to 27 clubs. All teams will play 28 regular season matches, four more than were played a season ago.
Date | Opponent | Time (CT) | Venue |
|---|---|---|---|
Sunday, March 26 | @Colorado Rapids 2 | 8pm | DICK'S Sporting Goods Park |
SUNDAY, APRIL 2 | AUSTIN FC II | 3pm | ROCK CHALK PARK |
SUNDAY, APRIL 9 | LOS ANGELES FOOTBALL CLUB 2 | 5pm | ROCK CHALK PARK |
Friday, April 14 | @Real Monarchs | 9:30pm | Zions Bank Stadium |
Sunday, April 23 | @FC Cincinnati 2 | 6pm | Northern Kentucky University |
SUNDAY, April 30 | HOUSTON DYNAMO 2 | 7pm | ROCK CHALK PARK |
Friday, May 5 | @Earthquakes II | 9pm | Paypal Park |
SUNDAY, MAY 14 | LA GALAXY II | 5pm | ROCK CHALK PARK |
Sunday, May 21 | @St. Louis CITY2 | 5pm | CITY PARK |
FRIDAY, MAY 26 | REAL MONARCHS | 7pm | ROCK CHALK PARK |
Friday, June 2 | @Whitecaps FC 2 | 9pm | Swangard Stadium |
THURSDAY, JUNE 15 | TACOMA DEFIANCE | 7pm | ROCK CHALK PARK |
Sunday, June 18 | @Los Angeles Football Club 2 | 7pm | Cal State Fullerton |
SUNDAY, JUNE 25 | NORTH TEXAS SC | 6pm | ROCK CHALK PARK |
SUNDAY, JULY 2 | WHITECAPS FC 2 | 6pm | ROCK CHALK PARK |
Sunday, July 9 | @Timbers2 | 9pm | Providence Park |
SUNDAY, JULY 16 | EARTHQUAKES II | 6pm | ROCK CHALK PARK |
Saturday, July 22 | @North Texas SC | 7:30pm | Choctaw Stadium |
SUNDAY, JULY 30 | COLORADO RAPIDS 2 | 6pm | ROCK CHALK PARK |
Sunday, August 6 | @Houston Dynamo 2 | 6pm | Aveva Stadium |
Wednesday, August 9 | @Tacoma Defiance | 9pm | Starfire Stadium |
SUNDAY, AUGUST 13 | TIMBERS2 | 6pm | ROCK CHALK PARK |
SATURDAY, AUGUST 19 | MNUFC2 | 7pm | ROCK CHALK PARK |
Friday, August 25 | @Austin FC II | 8pm | Parmer Field |
Sunday, September 3 | @LA Galaxy 2 | 9pm | DHSP Track & Field Stadium |
SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 10 | CHICAGO FIRE FC II | 4pm | SWOPE SOCCER VILLAGE |
Sunday, September 17 | @MNUFC2 | 5pm | National Sports Center |
SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 24 | ST. LOUIS CITY2 | 4pm | SWOPE SOCCER VILLAGE |
Conference and Divisional Alignment
Similar to 2023, MLS NEXT Pro is spilt into two with those Conferences divided into two divisions. Sporting KC II will once again compete in the Frontier Division facing familiar faces in Colorado Rapids 2, Houston Dynamo 2, MNUFC 2, North Texas SC and St. Louis CITY2 as well as newcomers Austin FC II. SKC II will face everyone in the Western Conference at home and on the road one time in the regular season as well as two Eastern Conference opponents once.
WESTERN CONFERENCE | EASTERN CONFERENCE |
|---|---|
FRONTIER DIVISION | CENTRAL DIVISION |
Austin FC II | Atlanta United 2 |
Colorado Rapids 2 | Chicago Fire FC II |
North Texas SC | Columbus Crew 2 |
Houston Dynamo II | FC Cincinnati 2 |
Sporting KC II | Huntsville City FC |
Minnesota United FC 2 | Inter Miami II |
St. Louis City 2 | Orlando City B |
PACIFIC DIVISION | NORTHEAST DIVISION |
Earthquakes II | Crown Legacy FC |
LA Galaxy II | New England Revolution II |
Los Angeles Football Club 2 | New York Red Bulls II |
Real Monarchs | NYCFC II |
Tacoma Defiance | Philadelphia Union II |
Timbers2 | TFC II |
Whitecaps FC 2 |
MLS NEXT Pro rule changes
There will be no ties in MLS NEXT Pro once again in 2023. Shootouts using kicks from the penalty mark will return this season to decide a match that is tied after regulation. Both teams will receive one point each for the tie, with the winner of the shootout receiving one additional point (two points total).
Implemented midway through last season, both the Off-field Treatment Rule and Red Card Suspension Rule will also return in 2023. Under the Off-field Treatment Rule: If a player is suspected to have an injury and is on the ground for longer than 15 seconds, a medical crew will come onto the field to evaluate the player and assist him off. Once the player is off the field, the player will be treated by the medical staff and will be required to remain off the field for three minutes. Under the Red Card Suspension Rule: if a player receives a red card, he will serve the resulting one-game suspension against that same opponent. To further decrease preventable match delays and increase effective match time, this season will see the addition of a new Timed Substitution Rule, which will allow a maximum of 10 seconds for a player to leave the field when he is substituted. If the player does not leave the field of play within the 10 seconds, the replacement player will only be able to enter after a 60 second holding period, resulting in the offending team playing a man down for a minimum of one minute.
MLS NEXT Pro Playoffs
The 2023 season will feature an expanded playoffs format that includes a pick-your-opponent element in the first two rounds. Within each conference, the two division champions and the five clubs with the next highest points (seven clubs total) will advance to the 2023 MLS NEXT Pro Playoffs. The Playoffs will consist of three rounds followed by MLS NEXT Pro Cup, taking place over four consecutive weeks beginning the weekend of September 29. The club with the most regular season points in each conference (#1 seed) will earn a first round bye, automatically advancing to the Conference Semifinals.
Throughout the playoffs, the teams with the most points in each conference will choose their opponent and host their match. The remaining teams that are not selected will play each other, with the higher seeded team hosting. The Conference Finals and MLS NEXT Pro Cup will be hosted by the team with the most regular season points.
Head coach Benny Feilhaber and assistant coach Ike Opara, lead SKC II into another new era of MLS NEXT Pro after guiding the team in their first year of coaching at the professional level. With MLS NEXT Pro bridging the gap between MLS and MLS NEXT, the pro-player pathway will be showcased as the Sporting KC II roster will feature top Sporting KC Academy prospects, as well as players on loan from Sporting KC.
About MLS NEXT Pro
Launched in 2022 by Major League Soccer, MLS NEXT Pro is a professional men’s soccer league in the United States and Canada that completes the pro player pathway. MLS NEXT Pro continues to grow the game through innovation and diversity, bringing professional soccer to new communities and creating global opportunities both on and off the field. MLS NEXT Pro enters its second season in 2023 with 27 teams, all affiliated with MLS clubs. Seven are new to MLS NEXT Pro in 2023: Atlanta United 2, Austin FC II, Crown Legacy FC (Charlotte FC), Huntsville City FC (Nashville SC), LA Galaxy II, Los Angeles Football Club 2 and New York Red Bulls II. Additional MLS-affiliated and independent clubs will join in the years ahead, including Carolina Core FC in 2024 and Cleveland in 2025. The majority of MLS NEXT Pro matches in 2023 will be available to watch live and on-demand on MLS Season Pass on the Apple TV app as part of the groundbreaking partnership between Apple and MLS. For more information about MLS NEXT Pro, visit mlsnextpro.com.
