2023 Major League Soccer season

The 2023 Major League Soccer season is the upcoming 28th season of Major League Soccer (MLS), the top professional soccer league in the United States and Canada. The league will have 29 clubs following the addition of St. Louis City SC as an expansion team in the Western Conference, with Nashville SC moving back to the Eastern Conference. The regular season is scheduled to begin on February 25, 2023, and end on October 21; it will then be followed by the playoffs. The regular schedule was released on December 20, 2022.[1]

Major League Soccer
Season2023
Dates
  • February 25 – October 21
    (regular season)
  • TBA
    (playoffs)
← 2022
2024 →

Preseason for the 2023 season started in January 2023 and ran into February,[2] and the season will begin on February 25.[3] The regular season will be paused from July 21 to August 19 for the month-long Leagues Cup, during which time MLS teams will play Liga MX opponents.[4] In June 2022, Apple Inc. and MLS announced a ten-year partnership for the broadcast and streaming rights to all MLS and Leagues Cup games, as well as select MLS Next and MLS Next Pro games, on the MLS Season Pass service within the Apple TV app.[5] Fox Sports retained linear MLS TV rights, while for the first time in league history, ESPN will no longer air matches (Univision opted to only air Leagues Cup games, thus also no longer airing MLS regular-season contests after a combined 19 years).[6]

For the first time since its founding, MLS qualification berths for the 2024 CONCACAF Champions League will not be exclusively allocated to American clubs, allowing expatriated Canadian clubs an opportunity to qualify for the tournament without necessarily winning the Canadian Championship.[7][8][9]

Los Angeles FC are the reigning MLS Cup and Supporters' Shield champions; Philadelphia Union are the Eastern Conference champions.

Teams

Stadiums and locations
Main article: List of Major League Soccer stadiums
Locations of teams for the 2023 Major League Soccer season
Western Conference   Eastern Conference
Team Stadium Capacity
Atlanta United FC Mercedes-Benz Stadium[A] 42,500
Austin FC Q2 Stadium 20,738
Charlotte FC Bank of America Stadium[A] 40,000
Chicago Fire FC Soldier Field[A] 24,955
FC Cincinnati TQL Stadium 26,000
Colorado Rapids Dick's Sporting Goods Park 18,061
Columbus Crew Lower.com Field 20,011
FC Dallas Toyota Stadium 20,500
D.C. United Audi Field 20,000
Houston Dynamo FC Shell Energy Stadium 22,039
LA Galaxy Dignity Health Sports Park 27,000
Los Angeles FC BMO Stadium 22,000
Minnesota United FC Allianz Field 19,400
Inter Miami CF DRV PNK Stadium[B] 18,000
CF Montréal Saputo Stadium 19,619
Nashville SC Geodis Park 30,000
New England Revolution Gillette Stadium[A] 20,000
New York City FC Yankee Stadium[A] 30,321
New York Red Bulls Red Bull Arena 25,000
Orlando City SC Exploria Stadium 25,500
Philadelphia Union Subaru Park 18,500
Portland Timbers Providence Park 25,218
Real Salt Lake America First Field 20,213
San Jose Earthquakes PayPal Park 18,000
Seattle Sounders FC Lumen Field[A] 37,722
Sporting Kansas City Children's Mercy Park 18,467
St. Louis City SC Citypark 22,500
Toronto FC BMO Field 28,351
Vancouver Whitecaps FC BC Place[A] 22,120
  1. ^
    Non-soccer specific stadium and artificially reduced capacity.
  2. ^
    Temporary stadium.

Personnel and sponsorships

Note: All teams use Adidas as universal kit manufacturer. As part of Apple's broadcast contract, all MLS kits will include Apple TV+ as a sleeve sponsor.[10]

Team Head coach Captain Shirt sponsor Sleeve and short sponsor
Atlanta United FC Gonzalo Pineda Brad Guzan American Family Insurance Piedmont Hospital
Austin FC Josh Wolff Alexander Ring Yeti Netspend
Charlotte FC Christian Lattanzio TBD Ally Centene
Chicago Fire FC Ezra Hendrickson Rafael Czichos Motorola CIBC
FC Cincinnati Pat Noonan Luciano Acosta Mercy Health Kroger
Colorado Rapids Robin Fraser Jack Price UCHealth —
Columbus Crew Wilfried Nancy Jonathan Mensah Nationwide Tipico
D.C. United Wayne Rooney Steve Birnbaum XDC Network EagleBank
FC Dallas Nico Estévez TBD Children's Health (home)
UT Southwestern (away)		 AdvoCare
Houston Dynamo FC Ben Olsen TBD MD Anderson Kroger, Coushatta Casino Resort
Inter Miami CF Phil Neville Gregore XBTO Xmanna
LA Galaxy Greg Vanney Javier Hernández Herbalife Honey
Los Angeles FC Steve Cherundolo Carlos Vela Flex Target
Minnesota United FC Adrian Heath Wil Trapp Target Bell Bank
CF Montréal Hernán Losada Samuel Piette Bank of Montreal —
Nashville SC Gary Smith Dax McCarty Renasant Bank Hyundai
New England Revolution Bruce Arena Carles Gil UnitedHealth Santander
New York City FC Nick Cushing Sean Johnson Etihad Airways Dude Wipes
New York Red Bulls Gerhard Struber TBD Red Bull OANDA
Orlando City SC Óscar Pareja Mauricio Pereyra Orlando Health Exploria
Philadelphia Union Jim Curtin Alejandro Bedoya Bimbo Bakeries USA Subaru
Portland Timbers Giovanni Savarese Diego Chará Alaska Airlines TikTok
Real Salt Lake Pablo Mastroeni Damir Kreilach LifeVantage KeyBank, Ford
San Jose Earthquakes Luchi Gonzalez Jackson Yueill Intermedia PayPal, Adobe
Seattle Sounders FC Brian Schmetzer Nicolás Lodeiro Providence Emerald Queen Casino
Sporting Kansas City Peter Vermes Johnny Russell Compass Minerals Children's Mercy Hospital
St. Louis City SC Bradley Carnell TBD Purina BJC HealthCare
Toronto FC Bob Bradley Michael Bradley Bank of Montreal GE Appliances
Vancouver Whitecaps FC Vanni Sartini Russell Teibert TBA —

Coaching changes
TeamOutgoing coachManner of departureDate of vacancyPosition in tableIncoming coachDate of appointment
Columbus Crew Caleb Porter[11] Fired October 10, 2022 Pre-season Wilfried Nancy December 6, 2022
Houston Dynamo FC Kenny Bundy (interim) End of interim period November 8, 2022 Ben Olsen November 8, 2022[12]
San Jose Earthquakes Alex Covelo (interim) January 3, 2022 Luchi Gonzalez January 3, 2022[13][14]
CF Montréal Wilfried Nancy[15] Signed by Columbus Crew December 6, 2022 Hernán Losada December 21, 2022[16]

Regular season

Format

Each of the league's 29 teams will play 34 matches—17 at home and 17 away games; the frequency of opponents is different for each conference due to the unequal number of teams. The 15 Eastern Conference teams will play two matches against every other team in the same conference and one match each against six Western Conference teams. The 14 Western Conference teams will face each other twice as well as an additional one or two matches against an intra-conference team; they will have one match each against six or seven Eastern Conference teams.[1][17] The regular season is scheduled to begin on February 25 and culminate in Decision Day on October 21, where all teams will play each other in simultaneous intra-conference matches. The season will be paused for the 2023 Leagues Cup from July 15 to August 20 as well as FIFA international windows in October and November; the June and September international windows have a partial pause, with 13 clubs electing to continue playing during then.[1][18] The majority of matches will be played on Wednesdays and Saturdays at 7:30 p.m. local time as part of the Apple TV+ streaming contract.[18]

Eastern Conference
Main article: Eastern Conference (MLS)
Pos Team Pld W L T GF GA GD Pts Qualification
1 Atlanta United FC 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Qualification for the Conference Semifinals
2 Chicago Fire FC 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Qualification for the First round
3 FC Cincinnati 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
4 Charlotte FC 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
5 Columbus Crew 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
6 D.C. United 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
7 Inter Miami CF 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
8 CF Montréal 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
9 Nashville SC 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
10 New England Revolution 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
11 New York City FC 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
12 New York Red Bulls 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
13 Orlando City SC 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
14 Philadelphia Union 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
15 Toronto FC 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
First match(es) will be played on February 25, 2023. Source: MLS
Rules for classification: 1) points; 2) total wins; 3) total goal differential; 4) total goals scored; 5) fewer disciplinary points; 6) away goal differential; 7) away goals scored; 8) home goals differential; 9) home goals scored; 10) coin toss (2 clubs tied) or drawing of lots (≥3 clubs tied)

Western Conference
Main article: Western Conference (MLS)
Pos Team Pld W L T GF GA GD Pts Qualification
1 Austin FC 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Qualification for the Conference Semifinals
2 Colorado Rapids 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Qualification for the First round
3 FC Dallas 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
4 Houston Dynamo FC 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
5 LA Galaxy 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
6 Los Angeles FC 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
7 Minnesota United FC 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
8 Portland Timbers 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
9 Real Salt Lake 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
10 San Jose Earthquakes 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
11 Seattle Sounders FC 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
12 St. Louis City SC 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
13 Sporting Kansas City 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
14 Vancouver Whitecaps FC 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
First match(es) will be played on February 25, 2023. Source: MLS
Rules for classification: 1) points; 2) total wins; 3) total goal differential; 4) total goals scored; 5) fewer disciplinary points; 6) away goal differential; 7) away goals scored; 8) home goals differential; 9) home goals scored; 10) coin toss (2 clubs tied) or drawing of lots (≥3 clubs tied)

Overall table

The leading team in this table wins the Supporters' Shield.

Pos Team Pld W L T GF GA GD Pts Qualification
1 Atlanta United FC 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Qualification for the CONCACAF Champions League[lower-alpha 1]
2 Austin FC 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Qualification for the CONCACAF Champions League[lower-alpha 2]
3 Chicago Fire FC 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
4 FC Cincinnati 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
5 Columbus Crew 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
6 Charlotte FC 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
7 Colorado Rapids 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
8 FC Dallas 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
9 D.C. United 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
10 Houston Dynamo FC 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
11 LA Galaxy 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
12 Los Angeles FC 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
13 Inter Miami CF 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
14 Minnesota United FC 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
15 CF Montréal 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
16 New England Revolution 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
17 Nashville SC 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
18 New York City FC 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
19 New York Red Bulls 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
20 Orlando City SC 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
21 Philadelphia Union 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
22 Portland Timbers 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
23 Real Salt Lake 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
24 Seattle Sounders FC 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
25 San Jose Earthquakes 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
26 Sporting Kansas City 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
27 St. Louis City SC 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
28 Toronto FC 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
29 Vancouver Whitecaps FC 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
First match(es) will be played on February 25, 2023. Source: MLS
Rules for classification: 1) points; 2) total wins; 3) total goal differential; 4) total goals scored; 5) fewer disciplinary points; 6) away goal differential; 7) away goals scored; 8) home goals differential; 9) home goals scored; 10) coin toss (2 clubs tied) or drawing of lots (≥3 clubs tied)
Notes:
  1. As 2023 MLS Supporters' Shield champions (MLS2)
  2. As highest-ranked U.S. based Division I club (based on 2023 MLS regular season record) not already qualified (MLS4)

Results
Home \ Away ATL AUS CHI CIN CLB CLT COL DAL DCU HOU LAX LFC MIA MIN MTL NEW NSH NYC NYR ORL PHI POR RSL SEA SJO SKC STL TOR VAN
Atlanta United Apr 23 Aug 30 Oct 7 May 13 May 17 Jun 10 Sep 16 Sep 23 May 31 Aug 26 Jun 21 Apr 1 Jul 15 Jul 2 Mar 18 Feb 25 Mar 4
Austin FC Mar 25 May 13 Oct 4 Jun 24 Sep 24 Oct 7 May 31 Mar 4 Sep 17 Jun 3 Aug 30 Apr 29 Jul 15 Feb 25 May 20 Apr 15
Jun 21
Chicago Fire May 20 Mar 18 Jun 10 Oct 7 Apr 1 Oct 4 Apr 8 Jul 12 Sep 23 Jul 8 Mar 4 Apr 29 Aug 20 Apr 15 May 13 Jul 15 Aug 30
FC Cincinnati Oct 21 Jun 3 May 20 Sep 23 May 6 Feb 25 Apr 1 May 17 Jul 1 Jul 15 Aug 26 Oct 4 Sep 2 Apr 8 Apr 22 Mar 11 Jun 21
Columbus Crew Mar 25 Sep 20 Aug 20 Jun 3 May 31 Mar 4 May 17 Apr 29 Oct 21 Apr 15 Jun 24 Jul 8 Jul 1 May 13 Sep 30 Apr 1 Aug 26
Charlotte FC Mar 11 May 17 Jul 8 Apr 22 Apr 15 Sep 16 Aug 26 Oct 21 Jun 24 Feb 25 May 20 May 6 Mar 25 Aug 30 Sep 20 Jun 10 Oct 4
Colorado Rapids Sep 30 May 27 Jul 8 Jul 15 Jun 24 Apr 1 Mar 18 Sep 16 May 13 Jul 4 May 20 Sep 20 Jun 3 Mar 4 Apr 22 Jun 21
Oct 21
FC Dallas Sep 2 Aug 26 Sep 23 Oct 4 Jul 4 May 20 Mar 4 Jul 1 Feb 25 Jun 3 Apr 1 Apr 15 Sep 16 7 Oct Mar 18 May 6 May 17
D.C. United Sep 20 Sep 2 Jun 24 Apr 8 Apr 29 May 20 Jul 8 May 31 Mar 25 May 13 Oct 7 Sep 23 Mar 11 Aug 26 Jun 17 Sep 9 Feb 25
Houston Dynamo Mar 18 Aug 30 Oct 7 Sep 30 Apr 8 Jun 10 Apr 22 Jul 12 Mar 25 Aug 20 May 6 May 13 Jun 21 Jul 8 Sep 16 Sep 20
May 27
LA Galaxy Apr 22 Aug 26 May 27 May 6 Oct 21 Sep 2 Feb 25 Sep 20 Jul 8 Sep 30 Aug 20 Apr 1 May 14 Jun 21 Jul 4 Mar 18
Apr 16
Los Angeles FC Jun 3 Apr 8 Aug 20 Mar 25 Apr 29 Sep 16 Sep 3 Oct 4 Mar 13 Mar 4 Oct 1 Jun 21 May 20 May 17 May 31 Jun 24
Jul 8
Inter Miami May 6 Jul 1 Mar 25 Oct 7 Jul 4 Aug 20 Apr 8 Jun 3 Feb 25 May 13 Aug 30 Sep 30 May 31 May 20 Mar 4 Sep 9 Sep 20
Minnesota United Jul 8 Aug 30 Apr 30 May 17 Oct 7 Jul 15 Sep 9 Mar 11 Apr 15 Jul 1 May 27 Aug 27 Sep 30 Sep 16 Sep 23 Jun 3 Mar 25
CF Montréal Jul 8 Sep 16 Sep 20 Sep 2 Jul 15 Apr 15 Oct 4 May 27 Jun 10 Aug 26 Jun 21 Jul 1 Apr 22 May 6 Mar 18 Oct 7 May 13
New England Revolution Jul 12 Sep 2 May 27 Apr 29 Oct 4 Sep 30 Jul 15 Mar 4 Jun 10 Apr 8 Mar 18 Apr 1 Aug 30 Jun 17 Oct 21 Apr 22 Jun 24
Nashville SC Apr 29 May 6 Mar 25 May 28 Sep 2 Jul 1 Apr 22 May 18 Mar 11 Aug 20 Feb 25 Oct 21 Oct 4 Jul 12 Sep 30 Jun 17 Apr 8
New York City FC Apr 8 Oct 21 May 31 Jun 17 Jul 5 Apr 22 Mar 18 Mar 11 Aug 20 Aug 30 Jun 3 Apr 15 Sep 16 Sep 20 May 27 Sep 23 Sep 2
New York Red Bulls Jun 24 Sep 20 Sep 30 Jul 12 Mar 18 Jun 21 Aug 20 Apr 15 Aug 26 May 20 Jul 8 Mar 4 May 13 Jun 3 May 4 Apr 8 Oct 7
Orlando City SC May 27 Jul 1 Mar 4 Sep 16 Mar 18 Jun 10 Apr 22 Apr 29 Sep 24 Sep 30 Oct 7 Apr 1 May 17 Feb 25 Jun 21 Aug 26 Jul 4
Philadelphia Union Oct 4 Mar 11 Sep 16 Feb 25 May 31 Aug 20 May 17 Sep 23 Jun 24 Jun 3 May 20 Oct 7 Jul 15 Sep 3 Mar 25 Apr 1 Apr 22
Portland Timbers May 6 Jun 21 Jul 15 Sep 23 Jun 11 Oct 21 Mar 25 Sep 9 May 20 Jun 24 Aug 30 Apr 25 Sep 20 Feb 25 Mar 11 May 13
Aug 26
Real Salt Lake Mar 11 Apr 8 Sep 2 Sep 20 Aug 26 May 31 May 13 Jun 24 Jun 10 Jul 15 Jul 8 May 17 Apr 29 Apr 22 Oct 7 Mar 25 Sep 23
Seattle Sounders FC Aug 20 May 17 Feb 26 Jul 15 Jul 1 Oct 4 Mar 18 Apr 22 May 27 Jun 24 Jun 3 Mar 4 May 31 May 7 Apr 8 Oct 7
Sep 2
San Jose Earthquakes Oct 21 Mar 11 May 27 Apr 1 Jul 1 May 4 Sep 2 Sep 23 Jun 10 Jun 17 Sep 16 Jul 12 Apr 15 Jun 24 Mar 25 Mar 4
Aug 30
Sporting Kansas City Jun 10 Jun 24 Apr 8 May 31 Sep 23 Mar 11 Jun 17 May 13 Apr 29 Sep 20 May 28 Jul 12 Mar 25 Aug 26 Sep 2 Jul 1
Oct 21
St. Louis City SC Aug 20 Apr 15 Mar 4 Jul 1 Aug 30 Jun 3 Jun 11 Sep 20 Jul 15 Apr 1 Apr 29 Jun 21 Oct 21 Mar 18 May 20 May 27
Sep 30
Toronto FC Apr 15 May 31 Sep 30 Mar 11 Apr 1 May 27 Mar 18 Aug 20 May 6 Jun 10 Apr 29 May 17 Oct 21 Aug 30 Jul 1 Jul 8 Sep 16
Vancouver Whitecaps FC Jul 12 Jun 10 Apr 29 Mar 11 Sep 30 May 31 Jul 15 Oct 21 May 6 Apr 1 Apr 8 Feb 25 May 20 Aug 20 Jun 3 Oct 4
Jul 8
First match(es) will be played on February 25, 2023. Source: Flashscore[19]
Legend: Blue = home team win; Yellow = draw; Red = away team win.
For upcoming matches, an "a" indicates there is an article about the rivalry between the two participants.

References
  1. "2023 MLS Regular Season schedule announced". MLSsoccer.com. December 20, 2022. Retrieved December 20, 2022.
  2. "Key Offseason Dates Ahead of the 2023 MLS Season". San Jose Earthquakes. October 24, 2022. Retrieved October 30, 2022.
  3. "Apple and Major League Soccer announce MLS Season Pass launches February 1, 2023". November 16, 2022. Retrieved November 16, 2022.
  4. "Leagues Cup 2023 dates and structure announced". MLSsoccer.com. October 6, 2022. Retrieved October 30, 2022.
  5. Noor Haq, Sana (June 15, 2022). "MLS and Apple announce 10-year streaming deal". CNN. Retrieved October 30, 2022.
  6. https://www.inquirer.com/soccer/mls-apple-fox-univision-espn-20221212.html
  7. mlssoccer. "Concacaf announces expanded Champions League starting in 2024". MLS. Retrieved November 28, 2022.
  8. mlssoccer. "How clubs can qualify for the expanded 2024 Concacaf Champions League | MLSSoccer.com". mlssoccer. Retrieved February 8, 2023.
  9. "Concacaf announces qualification criteria for Confederation's expanded Champions League starting in 2024". Concacaf. June 1, 2022. Retrieved February 8, 2023.
  10. McCaskill, Steve (November 17, 2022). "MLS clubs to promote Apple TV season pass with sleeve sponsorship". SportsPro. Retrieved November 22, 2022.
  11. "Columbus Crew part ways with head coach Caleb Porter". Major League Soccer. October 10, 2022. Retrieved October 10, 2022.
  12. "Ben Olsen named new Houston Dynamo head coach". Major League Soccer. November 8, 2022. Retrieved November 8, 2022.
  13. "Official: San Jose Earthquakes name Luchi Gonzalez next head coach". Major League Soccer. August 17, 2022. Retrieved August 17, 2022.
  14. https://www.sjearthquakes.com/news/news-earthquakes-announce-full-technical-staff-for-2023-mls-seasonhttps://twitter.com/friendshapedcar
  15. "Wilfried Nancy departs CF Montréal to become Columbus Crew head coach". Major League Soccer. December 6, 2022. Retrieved December 6, 2022.
  16. "CF Montréal name Hernán Losada head coach". Major League Soccer. December 21, 2022. Retrieved December 21, 2022.
  17. Carlisle, Jeff (December 20, 2022). "Major League Soccer releases 2023 regular season schedule". ESPN. Retrieved December 20, 2022.
  18. Creditor, Avi (December 20, 2022). "MLS Reveals 2023 Regular Season Schedule, Key Details". Sports Illustrated. Retrieved December 20, 2022.
  19. "MLS 2023". flashscore.com. Retrieved January 4, 2023.
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