ABC, ESPN and ESPN+ to Carry More Than 380 Major League Soccer Regular Season Matches in 2021

• ESPN Networks’ Coverage of 26^th Season of MLS Kicks Off on ABC and ESPN Deportes with Inter Miami CF vs. LA Galaxy on April 18
• ESPN and ABC to Televise 32 Regular Season Matches in 2021
• ESPN+ Returns as Exclusive Home of MLS Live for All Out-of-Market Games
• Opening Match of New Columbus Crew Stadium to Air July 3 on ESPN

ESPN Networks’ expansive coverage of the 26th season of Major League Soccer kicks off on ABC and ESPN Deportes with Inter Miami CF vs. LA Galaxy on Sunday, April 18, at 3 p.m. ET. In 2021, ESPN Networks will feature MLS regular season coverage of more than 380 matches across ABC, ESPN and ESPN+, including a combined 32 matches across ABC (five), ESPN (26) and ESPN2 (1), while ESPN Deportes will carry Spanish-language telecasts of all 32 matches. During the season, ESPN will also televise two additional matches to showcase meaningful games to a broader national audience.

ESPN+ returns as the exclusive home of approximately 350 out-of-market MLS games as part of the most comprehensive soccer lineup in the industry.

ABC’s season-opening broadcast will feature second-year franchise Inter Miami CF hosting LA Galaxy, the most successful club in MLS history. Global icon David Beckham, part of the Miami ownership group, faces the Galaxy franchise where he played for six seasons and won two MLS Cup titles. On the field, new manager and former England National Team player Phil Neville leads Inter Miami. 2018 World Cup champion Blaise Matuidi (France), Rodolfo Pizarro (Mexico) and Gonzalo Higuain (former Argentina international) are top-tier national team players for Inter Miami, while LA counters with Mexican National Team players Javier Hernandez and Jonathan dos Santos, and Sebastian Lletget (USA).

Also this season, ESPN will present the opening match of the much-anticipated new Columbus Crew SC Stadium in downtown Columbus, Ohio, on Saturday, July 3 as the reigning MLS Cup champion Crew host New England Revolution in a rematch of last season’s Eastern Conference Final.

2021 MLS on ESPN and ABC Schedule Highlights:

• Most Appearances on ESPN/ABC: LA Galaxy, MLS’s most successful club, Seattle Sounders and Atlanta United lead the league with six regular-season appearances on ESPN networks;
• El Tráfico: The El Tráfico match on Sunday, Oct. 3 between crosstown rivals LA Galaxy and Los Angeles FC will air on ESPN at 8 p.m.;
• EURO 2020 – MLS doubleheader: Following Switzerland vs. Turkey in the UEFA EURO 2020 group stage, ESPN will televise Atlanta United vs. Philadelphia Union at 2 p.m. on Sunday, June 20, as part of a unique UEFA EURO-MLS doubleheader;
• Four MLS Doubleheaders: ABC will kick off the first of four MLS doubleheader match dates on Sunday, May 9 when Southeast (Inter Miami vs. Atlanta United) and Northwest (Portland Timbers vs. Seattle Sounders) rivals face off. Other doubleheader dates: Thursday, July 22, Friday, July 30, and Friday, Aug. 27, on ESPN in primetime;
• MLS Heineken Rivalry Week: ESPN networks will televise five MLS Heineken Rivalry Week matches beginning Friday, Aug. 20 at 10 p.m. with LA Galaxy vs. San Jose Earthquakes on ESPN and ESPN Deportes and concluding Sunday, Aug. 29 – Seattle Sounders vs. Portland Timbers in the Cascadia Cup match – at 10:30 p.m. on ESPN and ESPN Deportes;
• MLS Cup: During the postseason, ABC will be home to MLS Cup 2021 on Saturday, Dec. 11, at 3 p.m. – the 23^rd time in 26 years that Major League Soccer’s champion is crowned on an ESPN network.

ESPN and ABC’s 2021 MLS Schedule:

* Schedule Subject to Change

* All matches will stream live on the ESPN App

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