ESPN’s 20th season of televising Major League Soccer will begin Sunday, March 8, at 5 p.m. ET, with the live presentation of Orlando City SC vs. New York City FC, two highly-anticipated expansion teams playing their first league match on ESPN2, ESPN Deportes and WatchESPN from Orlando’s Citrus Bowl. The season-opening match will feature two FIFA World Cup champions – Orlando City SC’s Kaká (2002 with Brazil) vs. New York City FC’s David Villa (Spain in 2010). It will mark the beginning of the network’s new eight-year rights agreement with the league (through 2022).
2015 MLS on ESPN highlights:
- Appointment viewing: For the first time in the history of Major League Soccer on ESPN, 29 of the 33 matches will be aired on Sunday at 5 p.m. – all but two matches on ESPN2;
- All 33 regular-season matches will be carried on ESPN2, ESPN, ESPNEWS as well as ESPN Deportes and available via WatchESPN;
- 24 of the 33 matches involve at least one 2014 MLS Cup playoff team, including five showcasing the defending MLS Cup champion Los Angeles Galaxy;
- An ESPN network will air one additional match during the season – bringing the total number of regular-season “MLS on ESPN” telecasts to 34;
- New York Red Bulls vs. Los Angeles Galaxy and on Sunday, April 26 – the only match this season between the two powerhouse teams;
- Portland Timbers leads the league with six ESPN appearances each. Six teams have five games each on ESPN networks: 2014 MLS Cup champion Los Angeles Galaxy, New England Revolution, New York City FC, New York Red Bulls, Orlando City SC and Seattle Sounders;
- Four key matches in August: Los Angeles vs. Seattle (Aug. 9), Seattle vs. Orlando City SC (Aug. 16), Los Angeles vs. New York City FC (Aug. 23), and Seattle Sounders vs. Portland Timbers (Aug. 30);
- In the last two weekends of the season, ESPN will televise matches with MLS Cup Playoff implications as part of the new Major League Soccer flex scheduling (Oct. 18) and “Decision Day” (Oct. 25) initiatives.
ESPN’s 2015 MLS Schedule
(Schedule Subject to Change)
| Date | Time (ET) | Match | Networks |
| Sun, March 8 | 5 p.m. | Orlando City SC vs. New York City FC | ESPN2/ESPN Deportes |
| Sun, March 15 | 5 p.m. | New York City FC vs. New England Revolution | ESPN2/ESPN Deportes |
| Sun, March 22 | 5 p.m. | New York Red Bulls vs. DC United | ESPN2/ESPN Deportes |
| Sun, March 29 | 5 p.m. | Chicago Fire vs. Philadelphia Union | ESPN2/ESPN Deportes |
| Sun, April 5 | 5 p.m. | San Jose Earthquakes vs. Real Salt Lake FC | ESPN2/ESPN Deportes |
| Sun, April 12 | 5 p.m. | Portland Timbers vs. Orlando City SC | ESPN2/ESPN Deportes |
| Sun, April 19 | 5 p.m. | Philadelphia Union vs. New England Revolution | ESPN2/ESPN Deportes |
| Sun, April 26 | 5 p.m. | New York Red Bulls vs. Los Angeles Galaxy | ESPN2/ESPN Deportes |
| Sun, May 3 | 5 p.m. | Sporting Kansas City vs. Chicago Fire | ESPN2/ESPN Deportes |
| Sun, May 10 | 5 p.m. | Toronto FC vs. Houston Dynamo | ESPN2/ESPN Deportes |
| Wed, May 13 | 8 p.m. | DC United vs. Orlando City SC | ESPN2/ESPN Deportes |
| Sun, May 17 | 5 p.m. | Orlando City SC vs. Los Angeles Galaxy | ESPN2/ESPN Deportes |
| Wed, May 20 | 8 p.m. | Sporting Kansas City vs. New England Revolution | ESPN2/ESPN Deportes |
| Sun, May 31 | 5 p.m. | Seattle Sounders vs. New York Red Bulls | ESPN2/ESPN Deportes |
| Sun, June 7 | 5 p.m. | Real Salt Lake vs. Colorado Rapids | ESPNEWS/ESPN Deportes |
| Sun, June 21 | 5 p.m. | DC United vs. New England Revolution | ESPN2/ESPN Deportes |
| Wed, June 24 | 11 p.m. | Los Angeles Galaxy vs. Portland Timbers | ESPN2/ESPN Deportes |
| Sun, June 28 | 5 p.m. | New York City FC vs. New York Red Bulls | ESPN2/ESPN Deportes |
| Sun, July 5 | 5 p.m. | Portland Timbers vs. San Jose Earthquakes | ESPN2/ESPN Deportes |
| Sun, July 12 | 5 p.m. | New York City FC vs. Toronto FC | ESPN2/ESPN Deportes |
| Sun, July 19 | 5 p.m. | Columbus Crew vs. Chicago Fire | ESPN2/ESPN Deportes |
| Sun, July 26 | 5 p.m. | DC United vs. Philadelphia Union | ESPN2/ESPN Deportes |
| Sun, Aug 2 | 5 p.m. | San Jose Earthquakes vs. Portland Timbers | ESPN2/ESPN Deportes |
| Sun, Aug 9 | 4 p.m. | Los Angeles Galaxy vs. Seattle Sounders | ESPN/ESPN Deportes |
| Sun, Aug 16 | 5 p.m. | Seattle Sounders vs. Orlando City SC | ESPN2/ESPN Deportes |
| Sun, Aug 23 | 5 p.m. | Los Angeles Galaxy vs. New York City FC | ESPN2/ESPN Deportes |
| Sun, Aug 30 | 5 p.m. | Seattle Sounders vs. Portland Timbers | ESPN2/ESPN Deportes |
| Sun, Sept 13 | 5 p.m. | Toronto FC vs. New England Revolution | ESPN2/ESPN Deportes |
| Sun, Sept 20 | 5 p.m. | Portland Timbers vs. New York Red Bulls | ESPN2/ESPN Deportes |
| Sun, Sept 27 | 5 p.m. | Sporting Kansas City vs. Seattle Sounders | ESPN2/ESPN Deportes |
| Sun, Oct 4 | 5 p.m. | FC Dallas vs. Houston Dynamo | ESPN2/ESPN Deportes |
| Sun, Oct 18 | 5 p.m. | TBD – MLS Flex Schedule | ESPN2/ESPN Deportes |
| Sun, Oct 25 | 7 p.m. | TBD – MLS Decision Day | ESPN2/ESPN Deportes |
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