Major League Soccer
Ready or not, MLS has a full slate of games scheduled for its opening weekend — 11 on Saturday and three on Sunday.
Many teams have invested heavily on new signings, some above or near eight-figure transfer fees. But that does not mean they will all be available.
FC Dallas paid a record fee for Croatian forward Petar Musa from Benfica but he will be unavailable until he secures a work visa.
Alan Velasco, another expensive Dallas DP, is out after injuring his knee in the 2023 MLS playoffs, while the third Dallas DP, Jesús Ferreira, and Paxton Pomykal, both U.S. internationals, are listed as questionable with injuries.
• SA Reading: Ref lockout update: MLS postpones new rule initiatives
FC Dallas, which hosts San Jose, isn’t alone in being at less than full strength.
One of Saturday’s marquee games is LAFC vs. Seattle, a Western Conference battle of two of MLS’s titans.
LAFC and Carlos Vela, its captain, are still trying to work out a new deal for the 34-year-old Mexican to return for a seventh season. Seattle lists five projected starters as either out (Stefan Frei and João Paulo) or questionable (Pedro de la Vega, Yeimar and Albert Rusnák) due to injuries or other issues.
The news is better in Carson, where the LA Galaxy, which has spent more than $20 million on Ghanaian Joseph Paintsil and Brazilian Gabriel Pec, both wingers, and Japanese back Miki Yamane, will have them available against Inter Miami on Sunday.
• SA Reading: Redondo teams up with Messi at Inter Miami
The best game of the weekend is Columbus-Atlanta United, a rematch of their 2023 playoff series that went to three games.
Crew players will be presented with their rings as 2023 MLS champions, while Atlanta United has high hopes after another successful recruiting campaign.
Wingers Saba Lobjanidze and Xande Silva and midfielder Tristan Muyumba joined the Five Stripes in the middle of the 2023 season, and they have added keeper Josh Cohen, Norwegian defender Stian Gregersen and Polish international Bartosz Slisz.
SATURDAY games:
APPLE TV/MLS SEASON PASS
Columbus vs. Atlanta 2 p.m.
*LAFC vs. Seattle 4:30 pm. (free)
Charlotte vs. NYCFC 7:30 pm.
DC United vs. New England 7:30 pm. (free)
Orlando vs. Montreal 7:30 pm. (free)
Philadelphia vs. Chicago 7:30 pm.
Austin vs. Minnesota 8:30 pm.
Dallas vs. San Jose 8:30 pm.
Houston vs. Kansas City 8:30 pm.
St. Louis vs. Real Salt Lake 8:30 pm.
Portland vs. Colorado 10:30 pm.
(Also available on Fox/Fox Deportes.)
All times ET.
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SUNDAY games:
APPLE TV/MLS SEASON PASS
Cincinnati vs. Toronto 2:30 pm. (free)
Nashville vs. NY Red Bulls 5 pm.
LA Galaxy vs. Miami 8:30 pm.
All times ET.
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Saturday morning: What We’re Reading (MLS)
1. The future of U.S. Open Cup and why the European Super League ruling matters By Jeff Reuter (The Athletic)
2. Referees union accused of threatening MLS replacement officials By Jeff Carlisle (ESPN)
3. MLS says it has global ambition, but too often acts like it doesn’t. That needs to change. By Jonathan Tannenwald (Philadelphia Inquirer)
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Americans Abroad
Tim Ream and Antonee Robinson should be in the spotlight as Fulham travels to Old Trafford to face Manchester United in United’s first match since Jim Ratcliffe became co-owner.
The Cottagers have won just one of five Premier League games in 2024 to drop to 12th place in the standings. For now, they have a cushion, sitting nine points clear of the drop zone.
In Mexico, Cade Cowell is still looking for his first Liga MX goal with Guadalajara, which sits in ninth place going into its match against UNAM.
• SA Reading: Cade Cowell: The U.S. striker seeking goals for ‘Mexicans only’ Chivas Guadalajara
Later in the evening, Alex Zendejas‘ Club America faces leader Cruz Azul in Mexico City’s Clásico Joven. The third American star, Brandon Vazquez, scored his third Liga MX goal for Monterrey, whose 3-0 win Juarez on Friday night moved it into third place.
In Italy, Nicholas Gioacchini‘s Como hosts Serie B leader Parma in a key match with promotion implications. Como is in fifth place and can move into second place with a win. Two teams ahead of Como have Americans: third-place Palermo (Kristoffer Lund) and Venezia (Gianluca Busio and Taylor Tessmann).
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SATURDAY games:
NBC/PEACOCK
English Premier League
Bournemouth (Tyler Adams) vs. Manchester City 12:30 pm.
USA/UNIVERSO
English Premier League
Aston Villa vs. Nottingham Forest (Gio Reyna, Matt Turner) 10 am.
FOX DEPORTES
Italian Serie B
Como (Nicholas Gioacchini) vs. Parma 10:15 am.
TELEMUNDO/UNIVERSO
Mexican Liga MX
Guadalajara (Cade Cowell) vs. UNAM 8 pm.
UNIVISION/TUDN
Mexican Liga MX
America (Alex Zendejas) vs. Cruz Azul 10 pm.
ESPN+
German Bundesliga
Borussia M’Gladbach (Jordan Pefok, Joe Scally) vs. Bochum 9:20 am.
Union Berlin (Brenden Aaronson) vs. Heidenheim (Lennard Maloney) 9:20 am.
Dutch Eredivisie
PEC Zwolle vs. PSV (Sergino Dest, Ricardo Pepi, Malik Tillman) 2 pm.
PEACOCK
Premier League
Crystal Palace (Chris Richards vs. Burnley 10 am.
Man United vs. Fulham (Tim Ream, Antonee Robinson) 10 am.
All times ET.
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SUNDAY games:
beIN SPORTS/beIN SPORTS en ESPANOL
French Ligue 1
Lens vs. Monaco (Folarin Balogun) 7 am.
beIN SPORTS CONNECT
French Ligue 1
Le Havre (Emmanuel Sabbi) vs Reims 9 am.
CBS SPORTS NETWORK
Scottish Premiership
Motherwell vs. Celtic (Cameron Carter-Vickers) 7 am.
USA/UNIVERSO
English Premier League
Wolves vs. Sheffield United (Auston Trusty) 8:30 am.
ESPN DEPORTES/ESPN+
Spanish La Liga EA Sports
Cadiz vs. Celta de Vigo (Luca de la Torre) 8 am.
Real Betis (Johnny Cardoso) vs. Athletic Club 10:15 am.
ESPN+
German Bundesliga
Eintracht Frankfurt (Timothy Chandler) vs. Wolfsburg (Kevin Paredes) 9:20 am.
Borussia Dortmund vs. Hoffenheim (John Brooks) 11:20 am.
PARAMOUNT+
Italian Serie A
Juventus (Weston McKennie, Tim Weah) vs. Frosinone 6:30 am.
AC Milan (Yunus Musah, Christian Pulisic) vs. Atalanta 2:45 pm.
All times ET.