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- ESPN Kicks Off Its 2020 MLS Schedule with March 1 Doubleheader – MLS Cup Champion Seattle Sounders FC vs. Chicago Fire FC and LAFC vs. New Franchise Inter Miami CF
- ESPN+ Returns as Exclusive Home of MLS Live for All Out-of-Market Games
- ESPN Platforms and ABC to Distribute 376 Matches During Major League Soccer’s 25th Season
- 2020 MLS All-Star Game Presented by Target on ESPN and ESPN App from LA on July 29
ESPN networks and ABC will combine to televise 31 regular season matches during Major League Soccer’s 25th anniversary season. ESPN – an MLS broadcaster since the league’s inaugural year in 1996 – will kick off coverage of the 2020 season with a doubleheader on March 1 and televise the 2020 MLS All-Star Game Presented by Target on July 29.
ESPN and ESPN2 will televise 21 of the 31 matches, while ABC will broadcast the remaining 10 matches. ABC carried the 2019 MLS Cup in November. All matches will be streamed live on the ESPN and ABC apps. ESPN Deportes will air the Spanish-language telecasts of all 31 matches on ESPN and ABC.
In addition to ESPN television coverage, ESPN+, the premium multi-sport, direct-to-consumer video service from The Walt Disney Company’s Direct-to-Consumer and International (DTCI) segment and ESPN, returns as the exclusive home of MLS Live which features all of the league’s 345 out-of-market games. Overall, ESPN platforms and ABC will combine to distribute 376 matches during Major League Soccer’s 25th season.
ESPN’s season-opening doubleheader on Sunday, March 1 will feature 2019 MLS Cup champion Seattle Sounders FC, led by Uruguayan National Team midfield maestro Nicolás Lodeiro, hosting Chicago Fire FC (3 p.m. ET), followed by Los Angeles FC and Mexican National Team forward Carlos Vela vs. Inter Miami CF – the debut of David Beckham’s new, highly anticipated MLS franchise – at 5:30 p.m. ET.
The first of ABC’s 10 regular season matches will be Saturday, May 2 at 3:30 p.m. when midfielder Diego Valeri and the Portland Timbers face LA Galaxy, led by Mexican international Jonathan dos Santos.
ESPN will also present the 2020 MLS All-Star Game Presented by Target on Wednesday, July 29, live from Banc of California Stadium in Los Angeles. This year’s MLS midseason classic will pit the best players in Major League Soccer against Liga MX team of all-stars – part of the league’s year-long celebration of its 25th season.
In 2020, ESPN and ABC’s coverage will feature the highly-respected commentator duo of Jon Champion (play-by-play) and analyst Taylor Twellman – their second year together in the booth.
Highlights MLS on ESPN and ABC in 2020:
- Most Appearances on ESPN/ABC: 2019 MLS Cup champion Seattle Sounders FC and 2018 MLS Cup winners Atlanta United lead the league with eight regular-season appearances each on ESPN networks, followed by LAFC, LA Galaxy and MLS’s newest team Inter Miami CF with six each;
- El Tráfico on ABC: The first El Tráfico – Los Angeles FC vs. LA Galaxy – of 2020 will air on ABC at 3 p.m. on Saturday, May 16;
- Inter Miami CF’s Debut: Expansion Inter Miami CF – with an ownership group led by global star David Beckham – will play its first MLS match as part of ESPN’s season-opening doubleheader at Los Angeles Football Club, winners of the 2019 Supporters Shield (best regular season record);
- Inaugural Match Rematch: On Saturday, April 11, at 5 p.m. ET, ESPN and ESPN Deportes will televise San Jose Earthquakes vs. DC United – a rematch of the first-ever MLS match in 1996, as part of the league’s celebration of its 25th season;
- EURO 2020 – MLS doubleheader: Following the UEFA EURO 2020 Final, ESPN will televise Minnesota United vs. Los Angeles FC at 6 p.m. on Sunday, July 12, as part of a unique soccer doubleheader day;
- MLS Heineken Rivalry Week: On back-to-back days, ESPN matches will feature two of the league’s top rivalries – Seattle-Portland Cascadia Cup on Saturday, Aug. 22 (ESPN/ESPN Deportes), followed by New York Red Bulls-New York City FC Hudson River Derby on Sunday, Aug 23 (ESPN2/ESPN Deportes).
ESPN and ABC’s 2020 MLS Schedule:
| Date | Time (ET) | Match | Networks |
| Sun, Mar 1 | 3 p.m. | Seattle Sounders vs. Chicago Fire | ESPN, ESPN Deportes |
| 5:30 p.m. | Los Angeles FC vs. Inter Miami CF | ESPN, ESPN Deportes | |
| Sun, Mar 8 | 7 p.m. | Portland Timbers vs. Nashville SC | ESPN, ESPN Deportes |
| Sun, Apr 5 | 3 p.m. | Inter Miami CF vs. Philadelphia Union | ESPN, ESPN Deportes |
| Sat, Apr 11 | 5 p.m. | San Jose Earthquakes vs. DC United | ESPN, ESPN Deportes |
| Sun, Apr 26 | 1 p.m. | Orlando City SC vs. Atlanta United | ESPN, ESPN Deportes |
| Sat, May 2 | 3:30 p.m. | Portland Timbers vs. LA Galaxy | ABC, ESPN Deportes |
| Sat, May 9 | 3 p.m. | Chicago Fire FC vs. Inter Miami CF | ABC, ESPN Deportes |
| Sun, May 10 | 4 p.m. | LA Galaxy vs. New York Red Bulls | ESPN, ESPN Deportes |
| Sat, May 16 | 3 p.m. | Los Angeles FC vs. LA Galaxy | ABC, ESPN Deportes |
| Sat, Jun 13 | 5 p.m. | Portland Timbers vs. Sporting Kansas City | ESPN, ESPN Deportes |
| Sat, Jun 20 | 5:30 p.m. | Atlanta United vs. Philadelphia Union | ESPN, ESPN Deportes |
| Sun, Jun 21 | 3 p.m. | LA Galaxy vs. Seattle Sounders | ABC, ESPN Deportes |
| Sat, Jun 27 | 5 p.m. | Seattle Sounders vs. New York City FC | ESPN, ESPN Deportes |
| Sat, July 4 | 5 p.m. | Atlanta United vs. DC United | ESPN, ESPN Deportes |
| Fri, Jul 10 | 8 p.m. | Orlando City SC vs. Inter Miami CF | ESPN, ESPN Deportes |
| Sun, Jul 12 | 6 p.m. | Minnesota United vs. Los Angeles FC | ESPN, ESPN Deportes |
| Sat, Jul 18 | 4 p.m. | LA Galaxy vs. Atlanta United | ESPN, ESPN Deportes |
| Thu, Jul 23 | 8 p.m. | Inter Miami CF vs. Atlanta United | ESPN, ESPN Deportes |
| Sat, Jul 25 | 3 p.m. | Seattle Sounders vs. Los Angeles FC | ABC, ESPN Deportes |
| Sat, Aug 1 | 3 p.m. | Atlanta United vs. New York City FC | ABC, ESPN Deportes |
| Sun, Aug 2 | 3:30 p.m. | Los Angeles FC vs. Seattle Sounders | ABC, ESPN Deportes |
| Sat, Aug 8 | 3:30 p.m. | Seattle Sounders vs. Sporting Kansas City | ABC, ESPN Deportes |
| Sun, Aug 9 | 3 p.m. | Minnesota United vs. Atlanta United | ABC, ESPN Deportes |
| Sun, Aug 16 | 3 p.m. | Atlanta United vs. Los Angeles FC | ABC, ESPN Deportes |
| Sat, Aug 22 | 4 p.m. | Seattle Sounders vs. Portland Timbers | ESPN, ESPN Deportes |
| Sun, Aug 23 | 7 p.m. | New York Red Bulls vs. New York City FC | ESPN2, ESPN Deportes |
| Fri, Aug 28 | 8 p.m. | Inter Miami CF vs. Seattle Sounders | ESPN, ESPN Deportes |
| Sun, Aug 30 | 4 p.m. | New York City FC vs. LA Galaxy | ESPN, ESPN Deportes |
| Sun, Sep 13 | 1 p.m. | DC United vs. Chicago Fire | ESPN, ESPN Deportes |
| Sun, Sep 27 | TBD | Philadelphia Union vs. New York Red Bulls | ESPN, ESPN Deportes |
* Schedule Subject to Change
* All matches will stream live on the ESPN App
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