League releases full 2017 schedule for MLS Cup champion Sounders FC
SEATTLE -- The MLS Cup Champion Seattle Sounders FC will open the 2017 season on the road for the first time in club history.
Seattle Sounders celebrate their MLS Cup final victory over Toronto FC at BMO Field on December 10, 2016 in Toronto. / AFP / Cole Burston (Photo credit: COLE BURSTON/AFP/Getty Images)
Major League Soccer on Thursday announced its regular season schedule, including 34 matches for each team.
The Sounders play the Houston Dynamo at 5:30 p.m. PT on Saturday, March 4th.
Seattle is 5-3-0 all-time in MLS regular season openers. The team says the season opener is away this season is because of scheduled infrastructure improvements at CenturyLink Field.
The Rave Green home opener is set for 4:00 p.m. on Sunday, March 19th against the New York Red Bulls.
The Sounders will host three of its six 2017 Cascadia Cup matches against Portland and Vancouver. The May 27 matchup between the Sounders and Timbers will air on the home of the Sounders, Q13 FOX.
The team says eight of the club's final nine matches this season are against Western Conference opponents.
Below is the full season schedule:
| DAY | DATE | OPPONENT | KICKOFF (PT) |
| Saturday | March 4 | at Houston Dynamo | 5:30 p.m. |
| Saturday | March 11 | at Montreal Impact | 4:00 p.m. |
| Sunday | March 19 | New York Red Bulls | 4:00 p.m. |
| Friday | March 31 | Atlanta United FC | 7:00 p.m. |
| Saturday | April 8 | at San Jose Earthquakes | 7:30 p.m. |
| Friday | April 14 | at Vancouver Whitecaps FC | TBD |
| Sunday | April 23 | at LA Galaxy | 1:00 p.m. |
| Saturday | April 29 | New England Revolution | 7:00 p.m. |
| Saturday | May 6 | Toronto FC | 1:00 p.m. |
| Saturday | May 13 | at Chicago Fire | 5:30 p.m. |
| Wednesday | May 17 | at Sporting Kansas City | 5:30 p.m. |
| Saturday | May 20 | Real Salt Lake | 2:00 p.m. |
| Saturday | May 27 | Portland Timbers | 12:00 p.m. - Q13 FOX |
| Wednesday | May 31 | at Columbus Crew SC | 4:30 p.m. |
| Sunday | June 4 | Houston Dynamo | 7:00 p.m. |
| Saturday | June 17 | at New York City FC | 10:00 a.m. |
| Wednesday | June 21 | Orlando City SC | 7:30 p.m. |
| Sunday | June 25 | at Portland Timbers | 1:00 p.m. |
| Tuesday | July 4 | at Colorado Rapids | 6:00 p.m. |
| Wednesday | July 19 | D.C. United | 7:30 p.m. |
| Sunday | July 23 | San Jose Earthquakes | 7:00 p.m. |
| Saturday | July 29 | at LA Galaxy | TBD |
| Saturday | August 5 | at Minnesota United FC | 5:00 p.m. |
| Saturday | August 12 | Sporting Kansas City | 1:00 p.m. |
| Sunday | August 20 | Minnesota United FC | 7:00 p.m. |
| Wednesday | August 23 | at Vancouver Whitecaps FC | TBD |
| Sunday | August 27 | Portland Timbers | 6:30 p.m. |
| Sunday | September 10 | LA Galaxy | 6:00 p.m. |
| Saturday | September 16 | at FC Dallas | 5:00 p.m. |
| Saturday | September 23 | at Real Salt Lake | 6:30 p.m. |
| Wednesday | September 27 | Vancouver Whitecaps FC | TBD |
| Sunday | October 1 | at Philadelphia Union | 10:00 a.m. |
| Sunday | October 15 | FC Dallas | 2:00 p.m. |
| Sunday | October 22 | Colorado Rapids | 1:00 p.m. |
The MLS season officially gets underway on Friday, March 3rd when the expansion Minnesota United head to Portland to take on the Timbers.