CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Charlotte FC is slated for its inaugural season with Major League Soccer in 2022.
The team announced on Friday they will see a 34-game regular season to kick off their first season. Their time at home and on the road is set to be split evenly, with 17 home games at Bank of America Stadium and 17 away games. A more detailed full schedule is promised to be announced later in 2021.
The 2022 regular MLS season will start on Saturday, Feb. 26, and will wrap during Decision Day on Sunday, Oct. 9. To wrap up the postseason, the MLS Cup will take place on Nov. 5, more than two weeks before the start of the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar.
Charlotte FC will play against teams in both the Eastern Conference and Western Conference. The team will take on Eastern Conference teams twice while facing eight of the 14 Western Conference teams. The club notes the Nashville SC will move to the Western Conference as well in 2022.
The regular MLS season will consist of almost entirely of weekend matches, with the exception of five or fewer midweek matches. Those midweek matches are targeted for one each in May, June, and July, and then two in August. Midweek match dates for each team will not be scheduled in consecutive weeks.
The MLS will also avoid scheduling matches during the FIFA international windows in March, June, or September. The league will only consider scheduling a match during the March window or the second weekend of the June double window at a team's request. However, teams may not request matches during the September window, at the final s tretch of the regular season.
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