Timbers play first home match on April 14

Seattle Sounders FC will visit the Portland Timbers on July 10, and the LA Galaxy come to Portland on Aug. 3.

Those are two of the most anticipated matches as the Timbers make their debut as a member of Major League Soccer in 2011.

MLS announced its schedule on Thursday.

Each team will play every other team twice — once at home and once on the road — for a total of 34 games.

The Timbers open with three road games — to give extra time to complete renovation work at PGE Park. Portland’s first home games are Thursday, April 14 against Chicago and Sunday, April 17 against FC Dallas.

Notes: It is anticipated that all games will be available on TV, but local TV and radio contracts have not yet been announced.

Saturday, March 19, at Colorado Rapids, 6 p.m.

Saturday, March 26, at Toronto FC, 11 a.m.

Saturday, April 2, at New England, 4:30 p.m.

Thursday, April 14, vs. Chicago Fire, 8 p.m. (ESPN2)

Sunday, April 17, vs. FC Dallas, 3 p.m.

Saturday, April 23, at LA Galaxy, 7:30 p.m.

Saturday, April 30, vs. Real Salt Lake, 7:30 p.m.

Saturday, May 7, vs. Philadelphia Union, 7:30 p.m.

Saturday, May 14, at Seattle Sounders FC, 8 p.m. (ESPN2)

Saturday, May 21, vs. Columbus Crew, 7:30 p.m.

Sunday, May 29, vs. D.C. United, 2 p.m.

Sunday, June 5, at Chivas USA, 5 p.m.

Saturday, June 11, vs. Colorado Rapids, 7:30 p.m.

Sunday, June 19, vs. New York Red Bulls, 4 p.m.

Saturday, June 25, at FC Dallas, 5:30 p.m.

Saturday, July 2, vs. Sporting Kansas City, 8 p.m.

Sunday, July 10, vs. Seattle Sounders FC, 2 p.m. (ESPN)

Saturday, July 16, at Chicago Fire, 5:30 p.m.

Saturday, July 23, at Columbus Crew, 5 p.m.

Saturday, July 30, vs. Toronto FC, 8 p.m.

Wednesday, Aug. 3, vs. L.A. Galaxy, 8 p.m.

Saturday, Aug. 6, at San Jose Earthquakes, 7:30 p.m.

Sunday, Aug. 14, at Houston Dynamo, 6 p.m.

Wednesday, Aug. 17, at Sporting Kansas City, 5:30 .m.

Saturday, Aug. 20, vs. Vancouver Whitecaps FC, 7 p.m.

Wednesday, Aug. 24, vs. Chivas USA, 8 p.m.

Saturday, Aug. 27, at D.C. United, 4:30 p.m.

Saturday, Sept. 10, at Philadelphia Union, 4:30 p.m.

Friday, Sept. 16, vs. New England Revolution, 7:30 p.m.

Wednesday, Sept. 21, vs. San Jose Earthquakes, 7:30 p.m.

Saturday, Sept. 24, at New York Red Bulls, 4:30 p.m.

Sunday, Oct. 2., at Vancouver Whitecaps FC, 1:30 p.m.

Friday, Oct. 14, vs. Houston Dynamo, 7:30 p.m.

Saturday, Oct. 22, at Real Salt Lake, 6 p.m.

The final regular-season home game is on Oct. 14 against Houston.

Single-game tickets are not yet on sale. The Timbers have sold more than 11,000 season tickets and will cap season ticket sales at 12,000. The remodeled stadium will hold about 20,000 fans.

Portland’s first MLS match is on March 19 on the road against the defending MLS Cup champion Colorado Rapids. The Timbers then travel to Toronto and New England on the following two Saturdays.

Timbers games are on ESPN or ESPN2 three times: their home opener on April 14, at Seattle on May 14 and the home game against the Sounders on Sunday, July 10. The team expects to announce a local television and radio deal soon.

The schedule announced on Thursday does not include potential U.S. Open Cup or international exhibition matches.

The games against the Sounders will renew a rivalry that dates to 1975, as will games against expansion partner Vancouver Whitecaps FC. The Whitecaps visit Portland on Aug. 20, and the Timbers are in British Columbia on Oct. 2.

In addition to the rivalry games, matches that figure to draw a lot of interest include visits by New York Red Bulls on June 19 and the LA Galaxy on Aug. 3.

Notes

• The Timbers plan to field an under-20 team in 2011 to defend their Premier Development League championship, and will also have a MLS development squad.

• Technical director/general manager Gavin Wilkinson said that plans for a youth development program to begin in 2012 will soon be announced.

Southwest Washington is currently Sounders FC territory for developing local youth players. MLS has not yet announced if Vancouver/Clark County will be included in the Timbers’ developmental territory.