SAN JOSE, Calif. – Major League Soccer today announced the schedule and broadcast details for all 54 matches of the MLS is Back Tournament. The San Jose Earthquakes will take on the defending MLS Cup champions Seattle Sounders FC on Friday, July 10(7:30 p.m. PT; ESPN), before facing Vancouver Whitecaps FC on Wednesday, July 15 (7:30 p.m. PT; TUDN) and FC Dallas on Monday, July 20 (5 p.m. PT; TUDN).
In addition to matches airing on national television, all Earthquakes matches will also be broadcast on KNBR 1050 and 1370 KZSF in English and Spanish, respectively. The matches will also be streamed via the TuneIn Radio app or by visiting TuneIn.com.
The restart to MLS’ 25th season begins July 8 with a doubleheader on ESPN, ESPN Deportes, TSN and TVA Sports, as Orlando City SC face Inter Miami CF at 5 p.m. PT followed by Chicago Fire FC taking on Nashville SC at 7:30 p.m. PT. The 54 matches of the MLS is Back Tournament will be televised nationally in the U.S. across ESPN, FOX Sports, and the Univision family of networks; in Canada on TSN and TVA Sports networks, as well as globally through the league’s international broadcast partners.
CLICK HERE for the complete MLS is Back Tournament Broadcast Schedule.
The Group Stage presented by Heineken will consist of 16 consecutive days of games with each MLS club playing three matches against teams within their drawn groups. All group stage match results will count in the 2020 MLS regular season standings, as well as toward qualification to the MLS is Back Tournament Knockout Stage presented by Audi.
The tournament will continue in the Knockout Stage presented by Audi with eight Round-of-16 matches, played as doubleheaders on four consecutive evenings (July 25-28), followed by four quarterfinal matches (July 30-Aug 1), two semifinal games (Aug. 5-6) and the MLS is Back Tournament Final on August 11 at 5 p.m. PT (ESPN/ESPN Deportes/TSN). The tournament champion will earn a spot in the 2021 Scotiabank Concacaf Champions League.
In addition to the schedule announcement, MLS today confirmed a change to the tournament’s competition structure. The top three teams from Group A, the six-team group, will advance to the Knockout Stage presented by Audi. Those three teams will be joined by the top two teams from the remaining five groups, as well as the next three highest ranked teams from the Group Stage presented by Heineken (the fourth-placed team in Group A is eligible to advance) based on points, goal difference, goals for, fair play points.
