The Portland Timbers will play host to Real Salt Lake in the Major League Soccer home opener of the 2015 season on Saturday, March 7, the league announced Friday.
It will be the first time that Portland opens its home schedule against a Western Conference opponent in the club’s MLS history as well as its fourth consecutive home, season-opening game.
Orlando City hosts New York City FC on March 8 in the opening game for the MLS expansion teams.
The league said Friday that NYCFC plays New England on March 15 in its home opener at Yankee Stadium.
MLS’s 20th season starts March 6 with the champion Los Angeles Galaxy at home against Chicago in a Friday night game. The following day’s schedule has Montreal at D.C. United, Toronto at Vancouver, Columbus at Houston, Colorado at Philadelphia, Real Salt Lake at Portland and San Jose at Dallas.
Other March 8 openers have the New York Red Bulls at Sporting Kansas City and New England at Seattle.
San Jose opens Avaya Stadium, the 15th soccer-specific stadium in MLS’s history, on March 22 against Chicago.
Home openers on March 14 feature Vancouver at Chicago, Philadelphia at Salt Lake and Toronto at Columbus. New England hosts Montreal on March 21, when NYCFC is at Colorado. The following day, the Red Bulls host D.C. United.
Montreal plays its home opener March 27 against Orlando. Toronto will spend two months playing on the road during renovations to BMO Field before its home opener against Houston on May 10.
