There’s nothing quite like Major League Soccer schedule release day.
Forget New Years Day, this is the true mark of the new year for MLS fans across the globe. The sounds of calendars being marked up and friends gathering to discuss away day trips fill the late December air. Who doesn’t love an early holiday present?
As the anticipation of another Real Salt Lake season builds across the Wasatch Front, we’ve highlighted some of the biggest matches RSL will be playing in 2023.
Saturday March 11- Austin FC at America First Field
The storylines write themselves during RSL’s home opener against Austin FC. The Claret-and-Cobalt will welcome Los Verdes to America First Field in early March with revenge top of mind. While RSL got the better of Austin last time they came to Utah, the away side won the last meeting between the two in the 2022 Audi MLS Playoffs, defeating Real Salt Lake in a heartbreaking penalty shoot-out to end the Utah Club’s season. Last year’s home opener featured a thrilling 1-0 win against then reigning MLS Champions Seattle Sounders, thanks to a Bobby Wood goal right at the start of the second half. RSL will look to start their home schedule off right for the second consecutive year against a formidable Western Conference opponent, and heal some of the wounds still open from last year’s MLS Playoff run.
Saturday March 25 - St. Louis CITY SC at America First Field
A new season brings new opponents to America First Field, including St. Louis CITY SC who will be making their first ever visit to Utah in their maiden MLS season. The league’s 29th franchise has a roster filled with experienced Bundesliga veterans including former Borussia Dortmund goalkeeper Roman Burki, former Hertha Berlin prospect Eduard Löwen and former 1899 Hoffenheim striker Klauss. The Club’s heavy German influence comes from the top after the Club announced former Fortuna Dusselförf Managing Director of Sport Lutz Pfannenstiel as their first ever Sporting Director. RSL will do their best to give the MLS newbies a warm Salt Lake City welcome and show CITY why America First Field is one of the toughest places to play in the League. Real Salt Lake will then travel to St. Louis on June 21 to play at the brand new CITYPARK for the first time in an exciting away day fixture.
Saturday April 1 - Columbus Crew at Lower.com Field
Speaking of new experiences, RSL will be heading east to Lower.com Field for the first time on April 1. The Columbus Crew’s recently opened 20,000 plus soccer specific stadium is located next to the Arena District in downtown Columbus, and was a finalist for the Sports Business Journal’s “Sports Facility of the Year” award. There will be a new man on the touchline of Lower.com Field for the Crew as well. After leading CF Montreal to a Club record 65 points and 20 wins in 2022, the French manager left Quebec for Ohio and will be leading a talented but underperforming Crew side who have missed the MLS Cup Playoffs the past two seasons after winning MLS Cup in 2020. Led by 2021 MLS All-Star Lucas Zelarayan and 2022 MLS All-Star Darlington Nagbe, the Crew will be looking to rebound with their new coach and make Lower.com Field the fortress they know it can be.
Saturday May 13 - LAFC at America First Field
Last season on August 6 against LAFC, RSL and the Club’s fans set the single largest attendance record in the Claret-and-Cobalt’s 14 year history at America First Field. When either Los Angeles team comes to Sandy, you can expect the Riot to be rocking, but especially against LAFC. The Clubs have created quite the history between themselves in the past five years. While the club from LA has had more success head to head in the regular season, it was RSL who famously knocked out the Black-and-Gold in their only postseason matchup in the 2018 MLS Cup Playoffs (who could forget Damir Krielach’s game trying scissor kick?) It can be assumed that the stars will be out for LAFC when they visit but as RSL fans have been accustomed to saying, at America First Field, the team is the star.
Saturday October 21 - Colorado Rapids at Dick’s Sporting Goods Park
This one needs no explanation but here’s one anyway. Rocky Mountain Cup on Decision Day in Colorado with potential playoff implications. Doesn’t get much bigger than that if you’re a RSL or Rapids fan. RSL currently leads the series 13-5 and have won the last two Rocky Mountain Cups. The 2023 series between the two rivals kicks off on May 20 in Commerce City before returning to Utah on September 2, setting up the October 21 matchup to potentially be the deciding game on who’ll win the cup, who will go to the playoffs, and who will get those precious bragging rights.
