PORTLAND, Ore. – The Portland Timbers will play host to expansion club Minnesota United FC in the opening game of the 2017 MLS season at Providence Park on Friday, March 3, it was announced today as MLS unveiled details for each club’s home-opening matches for its 22nd season.
Set to begin at 6:30 p.m. (Pacific), the Timbers’ match against Minnesota United FC marks the only MLS contest being played on March 3, the opening day of the 2017 MLS campaign, as Portland faces Minnesota in the expansion club’s first-ever MLS match.
The complete 2017 schedule, along with the national television schedules for the United States and Canada, will be announced in January, prior to the 2017 SuperDraft presented by adidas.
The match against Minnesota United marks the sixth time the Timbers have opened at home in seven seasons in MLS, with Portland previously playing host to the Philadelphia Union (2012, 2014), New York Red Bulls (2013), Real Salt Lake (2015) and Columbus Crew SC (2016) to start its respective seasons. The match against Minnesota marks the second time the Timbers open their home schedule against a Western Conference opponent.
Since 2011, Portland is 3-0-3 in MLS home openers, and the Timbers have logged a 27-5-16 overall regular-season record against Western Conference opponents at Providence Park since the start of 2013 season.
During the 2017 MLS regular season, each club will play 34 games, including 17 home games and 17 away games. Teams will face each of their 10 conference opponents twice during the season with one game at home and one game away, with clubs facing select opponents within their conference three times. Teams will face each non-conference opponent once during the season.
