MLS opening fixtures released

The fixtures for next years Major League Soccer have been announced. The Qwest Field will host the first game of the MLS season with Seattle Sounders FC hosting new franchise Philadelphia Union in their inaugural season in MLS on March 25th 2010.

Seattle know how Philadelphia feel with the Sounders only starting their MLS careers last season. The 2008 expansion side managed to attract an average of 30,000 fans per game in their first ever season in MLS and they will be hoping to continue to attract fans to the Qwest Field next season.

Philadelphia Union become the 16th team in MLS next season and are coached by MLS All-Time Best eleven member Peter Nowak. The former Polish international has proved a big success in America as a player and will be hoping to continue that success in to his coaching career.

The opening weekend also sees New York Red Bulls host Chicago Fire at the new custom-built Red Bull Arena on 27th March. Los Angeles Galaxy play host New England Revolution. It remains to be seen if former star attraction David Beckham will still be with the LA outfit by then. On Sunday 28th March Chivas USA will host Colorado Rapids.

The MLS season will see a 30 game season for the first time in its history with the league expanding and leaning towards the larger European league formats. Those games will then be followed by the best eight teams appearing in the playoffs. The general season will end on October 24th and the play-offs will reach their conclusion in the championship match on November 21st.

In a big change for MLS the league will be suspended during the World Cup with the USA national team competing at the tournament in South Africa next year. The first 48 games of the league stages will take part before the World Cup.

The rest of the fixtures will be played after the World Cup final.The MLS has never been suspended for a World Cup and it shows that the organisers of MLS are finally thinking more practically. Here is a full list of the opening weekends fixtures.

Saturday, March 27, 2010
Columbus Crew vs Toronto FC
New York Red Bulls vs Chicago Fire
Kansas City Wizards vs D.C United
FC Dallas vs Houston Dynamo
San Jose Earthquakes vs Real Salt Lake
LA Galaxy vs New England Revolution

Sunday, March 28, 2010

Chivas USA vs Colorado Rapid

New season brings new stadium and renewed interest

The new season also sees the rise of a ever growing trend of custom built soccer stadiums. The New York Red Bulls are hoping to be playing in their own custom-built stadium the Red Bull Arena. The 25,000 all-seater capacity stadium is set to be completed in time for the opening game against Chicago Fire as previously mentioned.

However the construction of the stadium has been hampered by delay after delay but the franchise are still hopeful that the Arena will be ready for the Fire clash. The development of soccer specific stadiums in the MLS has shown that the game is growing in popularity in one of the worlds biggest countries.

The likes of the Home Depot Center in Los Angeles and the Pizza Hut Arena in Dallas have proved hits with fans and have gave the franchises their own personal identities. These personal identities can only be good for the development of the franchises and the game in the US.