The opening weekend of the MLS 2024 season gets underway on Saturday evening when 11 matches take place with 21 teams getting their campaign up and running on what looks like a great night to bring Major League Soccer back.
We are into the second season of the MLS TV deal with Apple TV which means that you need a subscription to the MLS Season Pass to watch all the games, although some are free for Apple subscribers. Bookmakers are still offering the matches on their streaming platforms too.
Saturday’s fixtures are as follows: (UK kick off in brackets; 12.30am unless stated)
Columbus Crew v Atlanta United (7pm)
Los Angeles Football Club v Seattle Sounders FC (9.30pm)
Charlotte FC v New York City FC
D.C. United v New England Revolution
Orlando City SC v CF Montréal
Philadelphia Union v Chicago Fire FC
Austin FC v Minnesota United FC (1.30am)
FC Dallas v San Jose Earthquakes (1.30am)
Houston Dynamo FC v Sporting Kansas City (1.30am)
St. Louis City SC v Real Salt Lake (1.30am)
Portland Timbers v Colorado Rapids (3.30am)
Special Offer
Open a new Sporting Index account and bet £10 on the MLS (min odds 1/2) to get £20 in free bets (2x£10 free bets) to use on any sports market! Click the image below to take advantage of this great offer! 18+ T&Cs apply. Gamble Responsibly.
Big Matches
We begin the night with the two sides who competed in the MLS Cup Final last season at home in their opening game of the new season. The champions get the night started when Columbus Crew welcome Atlanta United to Ohio for what should be a very tasty clash and then when they are done Los Angeles FC will start their quest to go one better this season when they play host to the Seattle Sounders in a high profile match over in the Western Conference. The US Open Cup winners Houston Dynamo also get their season underway with what could be an entertaining clash against Sporting Kansas City.
Best of the Rest
There is much to look out for and enjoy elsewhere. Dean Smith has his first game as Charlotte FC boss when his new club play host to New York City FC while Chicago Fire, San Jose Earthquakes and Colorado Rapids all make eye catching signings ahead of the new season. All three are away in their opening match with the Fire going to the Philadelphia Union, the Earthquakes taking on FC Dallas at Toyota Stadium and the Rapids facing Portland Timbers at Providence Park. The other appealing match on the opening night of the season sees St Louis City FC hosting Real Salt Lake with the former looking to show their excellent debut campaign was no fluke and the latter aiming to bounce back from defeat in Miami on Wednesday night.
Betting
I like a couple of bets on the opening night of the new season with the first of them coming in the form of a team I think will go very well this term in Orlando City SC. I wouldn’t say that CF Montreal is the easiest fixture they could have had but a settled Orlando side who know the system and who have added elite quality at the top end of the pitch would certainly have wanted to face a team under a new coach who look like they are going to undergo another change in playing style. Those sorts of things need much longer than a relatively shallow MLS pre-season span allows and so I expect Orlando to open up with a home win. Their defensive ability has been there for all to see in recent years but now they look to have genuine class up top. It should be a combination that sees off Montreal here.
The other bet I like is for there to be more than 2.5 goals when the Philadelphia Union take on Chicago Fire at Subaru Park. Philadelphia are always a side who enjoy playing at home and I don’t see any reason why that would change here. Nothing in terms of attacking personnel or coaching structure or anything has changed for the Union so the likes of Julian Carranza, Mikael Uhre and Daniel Gazdag should continue to run riot. The Fire have made some good signings though. Kellyn Acosta should offer some control and a creative threat from dead balls and Hugo Cuypers is expected to be the number nine threat in front of the lively three the Fire will play behind him. This feels like a game where the goal line should be nearer 3 so I’m happy to get on over 2.5 goals.
Tips
Back Orlando City SC (-1AH) to beat CF Montreal for a 3/10 stake at 2.05 with Bet365
Back Philadelphia Union vs Chicago Fire – Over 2.5 goals for a 3/10 stake at 1.80 with Betfair
