2012 Major League Soccer season
Encyclopedia
The 2012 Major League Soccer season is the upcoming 100th season of FIFA-sanctioned soccer, the 34th with a national first-division league, in the United States and Canada, and the 17th season of Major League Soccer
. The season, which is slated to run from March thru October, followed by the 2012 MLS Cup Playoffs, will feature 19 franchises, including the expansion Montreal Impact.
Western Conference
and Los Angeles Galaxy
will play against each other in the quarterfinals of 2011–12 edition of the CONCACAF Champions League. Also, Seattle Sounders FC
will face Mexican side Santos Laguna
in the quarterfinals. The winners of Toronto FC/Los Angeles Galaxy and Seattle Sounders FC/Santos Laguna will play each other in the semi-finals of the competition.
For the 2012-13 CCL, Los Angeles Galaxy and Seattle Sounders have earned group stage spots, while Houston Dynamo
and Real Salt Lake
have earned preliminary stage spots. The Canadian representative, which earns a berth in the preliminary stage, will be determined by the 2012 Voyageurs Cup
.
, Montreal Impact
and Vancouver Whitecaps FC, along with NASL club FC Edmonton
, will compete for the Voyageurs Cup
, Canada's national championship trophy. The tournament is organized in a knockout format with two-legged ties in both the semifinals and final, with the away goals rule in place.
The top three clubs in each conference will automatically qualify for the conference semifinals. The other places in the conference semifinals will be filled by the winners of single matches between each conference's number 4 and 5 seeds, hosted by the number 4 seed. Each winner will face its conference's top seed in the semifinals. As in 2011, the semifinals will be two-legged matches decided on aggregate goals. For 2012, the conference finals will change from single matches to two-legged.
The cup final will be at the home field of the team with more regular season points.
Major League Soccer
Major League Soccer is a professional soccer league based in the United States and sanctioned by the United States Soccer Federation . The league is composed of 19 teams — 16 in the U.S. and 3 in Canada...
. The season, which is slated to run from March thru October, followed by the 2012 MLS Cup Playoffs, will feature 19 franchises, including the expansion Montreal Impact.
Changes from 2011
The 2012 MLS season will feature several significant on- and off-field changes from 2011:- The Montreal Impact, a new expansion franchise, will enter the league, replacing a Montreal clubMontreal ImpactMontreal Impact was a Canadian professional soccer club based in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. Founded in 1992, the team played in the North American Soccer League , the second tier of the American Soccer Pyramid until the 2011 season. The owner Joey Saputo now operates the MLS team Montreal ImpactThe...
who previously played in the North American Soccer LeagueNorth American Soccer League (2010)The North American Soccer League is a professional men's soccer league in the United States, Canada, and Puerto Rico which began league play on April 9, 2011. It has been provisionally sanctioned as the second tier of soccer in the United States soccer pyramid, behind Major League Soccer in the...
. The Impact will become the 10th team in MLS' Eastern Conference; the Western Conference will remain at 9 teams. - Each of the 19 teams will play a 34-game regular season schedule, one that will employ a new imbalanced format. Western Conference clubs will play each conference rival three times, and play one game against each Eastern Conference club. Eastern Conference clubs will play seven of their conference rivals three times, the remaining two conference rivals two times, and each Western Conference club once.
- The MLS Cup Playoffs will no longer feature Wild Cards and the possibility of cross-overs (i.e. teams from opposite conferences playing in the early rounds). Instead, the top five clubs in each conference will qualify for the playoffs.
- The 4th and 5th place teams in each conference will play each other in one opening round game, with the winner facing the 1st place team in the Conference Semifinals.
- Both the Conference Semifinal and Final rounds will be a two-game aggregate series (before, the Conference Finals were a single-game format).
- The MLS CupMLS CupThe MLS Cup is the championship match of Major League Soccer, the highest tier of professional soccer in the United States and Canada. As the final match of the MLS Cup playoffs, the winner is crowned the season champion in the same manner as other North American sports leagues...
Championship Game will no longer be held at a predetermined neutral site, but rather at the home stadium of the higher-seeded finalist.
Stadiums
| Chicago Fire | Chivas USA C.D. Chivas USA Club Deportivo Chivas USA is an American professional soccer club based in the Los Angeles suburb of Carson, California that competes in Major League Soccer , the top professional soccer league in the United States of America and Canada.... |
Colorado Rapids Colorado Rapids The Colorado Rapids are an American professional soccer club based in the Denver suburb of Commerce City, Colorado which competes in Major League Soccer , the top professional soccer league in the United States and Canada. It is one of the ten charter clubs of MLS, having competed in the league... |
Columbus Crew Columbus Crew The Columbus Crew is an American professional soccer club based in Columbus, Ohio which competes in Major League Soccer , the top professional soccer league in the United States and Canada... |
D.C. United D.C. United D.C. United is an American professional soccer club based in Washington, D.C. which competes in Major League Soccer , the top professional soccer league in the United States and Canada. It is one of the ten charter clubs of MLS, having competed in the league since its inception, in 1996.Over the... |
FC Dallas FC Dallas FC Dallas is an American professional soccer club based in the Dallas suburb of Frisco, Texas which competes in Major League Soccer , the top professional soccer league in the United States of America and Canada... |
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| Toyota Park Toyota Park (Bridgeview) Toyota Park is a soccer-specific stadium located at 71st Street and Harlem Avenue in Bridgeview, Illinois. It is the home stadium of the Chicago Fire Soccer Club, members of Major League Soccer . Toyota Park was developed at a cost of around $100 million. The facility opened June 11, 2006... |
The Home Depot Center The Home Depot Center The Home Depot Center is a multiple-use sports complex located on the campus of California State University, Dominguez Hills in Carson, California. It is located approximately 10 miles south of Downtown Los Angeles. Its title sponsor is hardware retailer The Home Depot. The $150 million complex was... |
Dick's Sporting Goods Park | Crew Stadium Columbus Crew Stadium Columbus Crew Stadium is a soccer-specific stadium in Columbus, Ohio and the home stadium of Major League Soccer club, Columbus Crew. Built in 1999, Crew Stadium was the first soccer-specific stadium built for a professional soccer team in the second pro era of American soccer... |
RFK Memorial Stadium | Pizza Hut Park Pizza Hut Park Pizza Hut Park is a soccer-specific stadium with a 21,193-seat capacity, built and owned by the city of Frisco, Texas. Its primary tenant is Major League Soccer team FC Dallas, which relocated from the Cotton Bowl in central Dallas to the fast-growing suburb... |
| Capacity: 20,000 | Capacity: 27,000 | Capacity: 19,680 | Capacity: 20,455 | Capacity: 45,596 | Capacity: 21,193 |
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| Houston Dynamo Houston Dynamo The Houston Dynamo is an American professional soccer club, based in Houston, Texas, that plays in Major League Soccer, the top professional soccer league in the United States and Canada. Founded in 2005 as Houston 1836, the team name was renamed to Houston Dynamo following protests from Hispanic... |
Los Angeles Galaxy Los Angeles Galaxy The Los Angeles Galaxy are an American professional soccer team, based in the Los Angeles suburb of Carson, California, which competes in Major League Soccer , the top professional soccer league in the United States and Canada. It is one of the ten charter clubs of MLS, and the league's second... |
Montreal Impact | New England Revolution New England Revolution The New England Revolution is an American professional association football club based in Foxborough, Massachusetts which competes in Major League Soccer , the top professional soccer league in the United States and Canada... |
New York Red Bulls | Philadelphia Union |
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| Dynamo Stadium | The Home Depot Center The Home Depot Center The Home Depot Center is a multiple-use sports complex located on the campus of California State University, Dominguez Hills in Carson, California. It is located approximately 10 miles south of Downtown Los Angeles. Its title sponsor is hardware retailer The Home Depot. The $150 million complex was... |
Saputo Stadium Saputo Stadium Saputo Stadium is a soccer-specific stadium in Montreal, Quebec, Canada which opened on May 21, 2008, and is the current home of the Montreal Impact. The stadium is built on the former practice track and field site on the grounds of the 1976 Summer Olympics, while the stadium's west side has a... |
Gillette Stadium Gillette Stadium Gillette Stadium is a multi-purpose stadium located in Foxborough, Massachusetts, 21 miles southwest of downtown Boston and from downtown Providence, Rhode Island. It serves as the home stadium and administrative offices for the New England Patriots football team and the New England Revolution... |
Red Bull Arena Red Bull Arena Red Bull Arena may refer to one of multiple association football stadiums:* Red Bull Arena , home stadium of German football club RB Leipzig.* Red Bull Arena , home stadium of American soccer club the New York Red Bulls.... |
PPL Park |
| Capacity: 22,000 | Capacity: 27,000 | Capacity: 20,341 | Capacity: 68,756 | Capacity: 25,189 | Capacity: 18,500 |
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| Portland Timbers Portland Timbers Portland Timbers may refer to any of four distinct professional soccer teams:*Portland Timbers, a Major League Soccer expansion team that began playing in 2011.... |
Real Salt Lake Real Salt Lake Real Salt Lake is an American professional soccer club based in Sandy, Utah, a suburb of Salt Lake City. The team competes in Major League Soccer , the top professional soccer league in the United States and Canada. They currently play their home games at Rio Tinto Stadium. Real Salt Lake won... |
San Jose Earthquakes San Jose Earthquakes The San Jose Earthquakes professional soccer team is located in the San Jose, California, United States suburb of Santa Clara, and participates in Major League Soccer , the top level soccer league in the United States and Canada.... |
Seattle Sounders FC Seattle Sounders FC Seattle Sounders FC is an American professional soccer club based in Seattle, Washington. The club competes in Major League Soccer , the top professional soccer league in the United States and Canada. Sounders FC was established in November 2007 as a MLS expansion team, making it the 15th team in... |
Sporting Kansas City | Toronto FC Toronto FC Toronto FC is a Canadian professional soccer club based in Toronto, Ontario which competes in Major League Soccer , the top professional soccer league in the United States and Canada.... |
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| Jeld-Wen Field | Rio Tinto Stadium | Buck Shaw Stadium Buck Shaw Stadium Buck Shaw Stadium is a 10,300-seat soccer stadium at Santa Clara University in Santa Clara, California. The stadium is the current home of the Santa Clara Broncos soccer teams and was the former home of the now defunct Santa Clara football team as well as the Santa Clara baseball team. The baseball... |
CenturyLink Field | Livestrong Sporting Park Livestrong Sporting Park Livestrong Sporting Park is a soccer-specific stadium in Kansas City, Kansas and is the home of Sporting Kansas City. The stadium opened during the 2011 season of Major League Soccer on June 9, 2011 with a match against the Chicago Fire. The stadium has a seating capacity of 18,467 seats, which can... |
BMO Field BMO Field BMO Field is a Canadian soccer stadium located in Exhibition Place in the city of Toronto. The open-air structure can seat up to 21,800 spectators, depending on seating configurations. It is owned by the City of Toronto, and managed by Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment Ltd... |
| Capacity: 20,323 | Capacity: 20,008 | Capacity: 10,300 | Capacity: 38,500 | Capacity: 18,467 | Capacity: 23,000 |
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| Vancouver Whitecaps FC |
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| BC Place |
| Capacity: 21,500 |
- The Houston Dynamo will move to Dynamo StadiumNew Houston Dynamo stadiumHouston Dynamo stadium is a planned soccer specific stadium in Houston. The 16 to 18 month project is planned to be completed during the month of May in the 2012 Major League Soccer season and is expected to cost $110 million...
once construction is completed.
Conference
Eastern ConferenceWestern Conference
CONCACAF Champions League
Prior to the start of the MLS regular season, Toronto FCToronto FC
Toronto FC is a Canadian professional soccer club based in Toronto, Ontario which competes in Major League Soccer , the top professional soccer league in the United States and Canada....
and Los Angeles Galaxy
Los Angeles Galaxy
The Los Angeles Galaxy are an American professional soccer team, based in the Los Angeles suburb of Carson, California, which competes in Major League Soccer , the top professional soccer league in the United States and Canada. It is one of the ten charter clubs of MLS, and the league's second...
will play against each other in the quarterfinals of 2011–12 edition of the CONCACAF Champions League. Also, Seattle Sounders FC
Seattle Sounders FC
Seattle Sounders FC is an American professional soccer club based in Seattle, Washington. The club competes in Major League Soccer , the top professional soccer league in the United States and Canada. Sounders FC was established in November 2007 as a MLS expansion team, making it the 15th team in...
will face Mexican side Santos Laguna
Santos Laguna
Club Santos Laguna is a Mexican football club. They represent the urban area of Comarca Lagunera, which is made up of Torreón, Gomez Palacio, and Lerdo. Santos Laguna currently plays in the Primera División. The club was founded in 1982, and reached Mexico's top division after buying the franchise...
in the quarterfinals. The winners of Toronto FC/Los Angeles Galaxy and Seattle Sounders FC/Santos Laguna will play each other in the semi-finals of the competition.
For the 2012-13 CCL, Los Angeles Galaxy and Seattle Sounders have earned group stage spots, while Houston Dynamo
Houston Dynamo
The Houston Dynamo is an American professional soccer club, based in Houston, Texas, that plays in Major League Soccer, the top professional soccer league in the United States and Canada. Founded in 2005 as Houston 1836, the team name was renamed to Houston Dynamo following protests from Hispanic...
and Real Salt Lake
Real Salt Lake
Real Salt Lake is an American professional soccer club based in Sandy, Utah, a suburb of Salt Lake City. The team competes in Major League Soccer , the top professional soccer league in the United States and Canada. They currently play their home games at Rio Tinto Stadium. Real Salt Lake won...
have earned preliminary stage spots. The Canadian representative, which earns a berth in the preliminary stage, will be determined by the 2012 Voyageurs Cup
2012 Canadian Championship
The 2012 Canadian Championship is a soccer tournament hosted and organized by the Canadian Soccer Association that is expected to take place in the cities of Edmonton, Montreal, Toronto and Vancouver in 2012. As in the previous tournament, participating teams will include FC Edmonton, Montreal...
.
Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup
The MLS clubs that finished first through sixth place overall during last year's regular season earned a direct bye to the third round proper of the U.S. Open Cup. Clubs that finished seventh or lower will have to play for the final two spots in a series of play-in propers, based on their geographic location as well as their final regular season position.Canadian Championship
The three Canadian-based MLS clubs, Toronto FCToronto FC
Toronto FC is a Canadian professional soccer club based in Toronto, Ontario which competes in Major League Soccer , the top professional soccer league in the United States and Canada....
, Montreal Impact
Montreal Impact
Montreal Impact was a Canadian professional soccer club based in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. Founded in 1992, the team played in the North American Soccer League , the second tier of the American Soccer Pyramid until the 2011 season. The owner Joey Saputo now operates the MLS team Montreal ImpactThe...
and Vancouver Whitecaps FC, along with NASL club FC Edmonton
FC Edmonton
FC Edmonton is a Canadian professional soccer team based in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. Founded in 2010, the team plays in the North American Soccer League , the second tier of the American Soccer Pyramid....
, will compete for the Voyageurs Cup
Voyageurs Cup
The Voyageurs Cup is the only trophy for top-level professional soccer in Canada. From 2002 to 2007, the cup was awarded annually to the Canadian team finishing with the best record in the USL First Division, from regular season matches against other Canadian teams in the league, and from 2008 the...
, Canada's national championship trophy. The tournament is organized in a knockout format with two-legged ties in both the semifinals and final, with the away goals rule in place.
MLS Cup
Following the 2012 season, the top five clubs in each conference will qualify for the MLS Cup Playoffs postseason tournament. Unlike the 2011 playoffs, there will be no possibility of a "crossover", in which a team from one conference could potentially play in the bracket of the other conference.The top three clubs in each conference will automatically qualify for the conference semifinals. The other places in the conference semifinals will be filled by the winners of single matches between each conference's number 4 and 5 seeds, hosted by the number 4 seed. Each winner will face its conference's top seed in the semifinals. As in 2011, the semifinals will be two-legged matches decided on aggregate goals. For 2012, the conference finals will change from single matches to two-legged.
The cup final will be at the home field of the team with more regular season points.