Major League Soccer today unveiled its 2016 regular-season schedule, a campaign that again sees each of its 20 clubs play a 34-match slate, with Columbus Crew SC beginning its season – the Black & Gold's 21st in MLS – on Sunday, March 6 at Portland. Crew SC returns to Columbus to play its first of 17 regular-season matches at MAPFRE Stadium on Saturday, March 12 against the Philadelphia Union.
In 2016, Crew SC is looking to continue its success under Sporting Director and Head Coach Gregg Berhalter. The Black & Gold have qualified for the MLS Cup Playoffs in each of Berhalter's first two campaigns, winning the Eastern Conference Championship in 2015.
For the fifth consecutive season, each MLS club in 2016 is slated to play a schedule that features a single match against each team in opposite conferences, with two or three contests against each intra-conference club. The League alignment and postseason qualification structure remains the same as 2015, with the top six clubs in each Conference receiving MLS Cup Playoff berths, and the top two seeds in each conference earning byes into the Conference Semifinals.
DOWNLOAD: 2016 Columbus Crew SC schedule PDF - http://bit.ly/2016CrewSCSchedulePDF
The Black & Gold are set to open their campaign on the road for a sixth straight season, traveling to face Portland in their first match in what is a rematch of the two clubs that met in the 2015 MLS Cup. Crew SC has won two of its last three overall season openers, with the 2014 victory at RFK Stadium against D.C. United the first-ever win for the club under Berhalter.
2016 is Crew SC's 18th season at MAPFRE Stadium, the first topflight soccer-specific stadium built in the United States. After the trip to Portland, Crew SC's home slate begins with a matchup against the Philadelphia Union. The Black & Gold are an unbeaten 6-0-5 in Opening Matches at MAPFRE Stadium over the last 11 years, dating back to 2005.
2016 SEASON TICKET MEMBERSHIPS: http://bit.ly/2016CrewSCSTM
Crew SC faces six Eastern Conference opponents three times in 2016: Chicago Fire, Montreal Impact, New England Revolution, New York City FC, Philadelphia Union and Toronto FC. Of those clubs, Montreal, New York City FC and Philadelphia will make two trips to Columbus, while Crew SC heads to Chicago, New England and Toronto twice each in 2016. Crew SC plays two matches against each of the three remaining Eastern Conference clubs – D.C. United, New York Red Bulls and Orlando City SC – with one match at home and one match away against each.
Ten other contests featuring Western Conference opponents complete Crew SC's 2016 regular-season schedule. The Black & Gold host the Colorado Rapids, Houston Dynamo, Real Salt Lake, San Jose Earthquakes and Vancouver Whitecaps FC at MAPFRE Stadium this season, while the club travels westward to meet FC Dallas, LA Galaxy, Portland Timbers, Seattle Sounders FC and Sporting Kansas City.
CALENDAR: Download the full 2016 Crew SC schedule to your smartphone or online calendar
Notable schedule highlights include: the 2015 MLS Cup rematch at Portland (March 6); Opening Match on March 12 against Philadelphia; three meetings against 2015 postseason opponent Montreal within the season's first 14 matches; two visits to Columbus by New York City FC and world soccer superstars David Villa, Andrea Pirlo and Frank Lampard (April 16 and August 13); an Eastern Conference Championship rematch with the New York Red Bulls visiting MAPFRE Stadium (June 25); a Trillium Cup home rivalry match against Jozy Altidore, Michael Bradley, Sebastian Giovinco and Toronto FC (July 13); a nationally televised home clash against the New England Revolution (September 25); and a 2016 Decision Day contest at Yankee Stadium against New York City FC.
READ: A full breakdown of Columbus Crew SC's 2016 schedule
Crew SC is scheduled to play on national television at least three times in 2016. The Black & Gold are set to appear on ESPN once (Sunday, March 6 at Portland) as well as on FS1 twice (Sunday, July 3 at Sporting Kansas City and Sunday, September 25 versus New England). 2016 local broadcast information for Crew SC will be announced at a later date.
Preparation for the 2016 Major League Soccer campaign continues with the 2016 adidas MLS Player Combine from January 7-12 followed by the 2016 MLS SuperDraft on January 14. The Black & Gold begin their preseason on January 22 before heading to Lakewood Ranch, Florida for their first camp from January 23 - February 5. After that camp, Crew SC trains at SuperKick in Powell from February 8-12 before departing to participate in the Desert Diamond Cup from February 15-27. Information on Crew SC Season Ticket Memberships in 2016 can be found at http://bit.ly/2016CrewSCSTM.
