MLS 2024 schedule release: LA Galaxy will face Lionel Messi and Inter Miami in second game.

The schedule for Major League Soccer in 2024 has been released, and Tata Martino, Lionel Messi, and Inter Miami have a busy opening week. The Herons will host Real Salt Lake at DRV PNK stadium on Wednesday, February 21, for the earliest start in league history to begin the season. This is a stand-alone game to celebrate the beginning of the league’s 29th season. However, the Herons will have to head out on the road as the league begins its regular week one schedule on February 24–25. 

They’ll have a shortened schedule to begin the season, starting on Sunday, February 25 at 8:30 p.m. ET at Dignity Health Sports Park against the Los Angeles Galaxy. Miami’s preseason program includes games in Saudi Arabia. On March 7, the team will begin play in the Concacaf Champions Cup, where they will await their opponent for the round of 16. 

On February 24, the Columbus Crew, the defending MLS champions, will meet Atlanta United in a rematch of their playoff series to start the season. El Trafico, which will take place at the Rose Bowl on July 4 for the second year in a row between the LA Galaxy and Los Angeles FC, is another significant event on the schedule. With the league continuing to play most of its games on Saturdays and Wednesdays with scheduled local start times of 7:30 p.m., each team will play 34 games (17 at home and 17 away).

Other important dates

MLS All-Star Game in Columbus: Wednesday, July 24

MLS Cup rematch between LAFC and Columbus Crew: Saturday, July 13

MLS Rivalry Week: May 11-18

Leagues Cup: July 26-Aug. 24

MLS Decision Day: Saturday, Oct. 19

MLS Cup: Saturday, Dec. 7

Open Cup decisions

The Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup entry date for MLS clubs is one of the key days that is missing from the league schedule, despite its recent reduction. Although the league decided to remove the first teams from the competition and replace them with MLS Next Pro clubs, U.S. Soccer has rejected that decision, therefore it is now unknown what role the American top flight will have in the nation’s oldest game. Major League Soccer teams will not be participating in the U.S. Open Cup this year, despite the competition having been around for 105 years and only missing two seasons because to COVID-19.