Seattle Sounders announce 2019 MLS regular season schedule; opener is March 2 vs. FC Cincinnati

On Monday, Major League Soccer announced their 2019 regular season schedule.

The Seattle Sounders will open up the 2019 season against the league’s newest franchise, FC Cincinnati, on March 2 at CenturyLink Field.

Among the highlights of the 2019 schedule are the yearly Cascadia Cup matches with Portland Timbers and the Vancouver Whitecaps. The Sounders will see Vancouver on March 30 in Canada then back at home on June 29. Long-time rival Portland returns to Seattle on July 21 for the first time since the Sounders lost to the Timbers in the 2018 MLS Cup Western Conference semifinals.

The Sounders will welcome the reigning MLS Cup Champions, Atlanta United, on July 14. In the season finale, the Sounders will host Minnesota United FC on Oct. 6.

The schedule:

Feb. 20 vs. Club Nacional (Friendly)

March 2 vs. FC Cincinnati (Season opener)

March 9 vs. Colorado Rapids

March 16 at Chicago Fire

March 30 at Vancouver Whitecaps (Cascadia Cup)

April 6 vs. Real Salt Lake

April 10 at Colorado Rapids

April 13 vs. Toronto FC

April 21 at Los Angeles FC

April 24 vs. San Jose Earthquakes

April 28 vs. Los Angeles FC

May 4 at Minnesota United FC

May 11 vs. Houston Dynamo

May 15 vs. Orlando City SC

May 18 at Philadelphia Union

May 26 at Sporting Kansas City

June 1 at FC Dallas

June 5 Montreal Impact

June 29 vs. Vancouver Whitecaps (Cascadia Cup)

July 3 at New York FC

July 6 at Columbus SC

July 14 vs. Atlanta United (Hosting defending MLS champions)

July 21 vs. Portland Timbers (Cascadia Cup)

July 27 at Houston Dynamo

Aug. 4 vs. Sporting Kansas City

Aug. 10 vs. New England Revolution

Aug. 14 at Real Salt Lake

Aug. 17 at LA Galaxy

Aug. 23 at Portland Timbers (Cascadia Cup)

Sept. 1 vs. LA Galaxy

Sept. 15 vs. New York Red Bulls

Sept. 18 vs. FC Dallas

Sept. 22. at DC United

Sept. 29 at San Jose Earthquakes

Oct. 6 vs. Minnesota United FC (Decision Day)

This story was originally published January 7, 2019 at 3:49 PM with the headline "Seattle Sounders announce 2019 MLS regular season schedule; opener is March 2 vs. FC Cincinnati."