ESPN and ESPN Deportes’ coverage of the 25th MLS season will kick off Sunday, March 1st, with a doubleheader: Seattle Sounders vs. Chicago Fire (3pm ET), followed by Los Angeles FC vs. Inter Miami CF (5:30pm ET).
ESPN’s opening matches feature the 2019 MLS Cup champion (Seattle), the 2019 Supporters Shield winner (LAFC), and the debut of one of MLS’s newest franchises, Inter Miami, featuring co-owner/President David Beckham. Both matches will be available in English and Spanish and streamed live on the ESPN App.
ESPN has been Major League Soccer’s national media rights-holder longer than any other network – since the league debuted in 1996. ESPN and ABC will combine to air 31 regular-season matches during MLS’s inaugural 25th season. ESPN Deportes will also offer a Spanish-language presentation of all 31 matches, while 345 MLS out-of-market games will stream live via MLS Live on ESPN+. In all, ESPN platforms and ABC will distribute 376 matches in 2020.
Captain Nicolas Lodeiro leads reigning MLS champion Seattle Sounders FC, which has captured two of the past four MLS championships. Chicago counters with new designated players Robert Beric (Slovenia) and Ignacio Aliseda (Argentina), who will make their MLS debuts. The late game will showcase LAFC captain and Mexican National Team forward Carlos Vela, the 2019 MLS Most Valuable Player, who scored a league record 34 regular-season goals and propelled LAFC to the Supporters Shield (best regular season record) in 2019. LAFC will be the first MLS opponent for expansion franchise Inter Miami CF, led by Mexican National Team midfielder Rodolfo Pizzaro.
For the second straight season, ESPN’s lead MLS commentator team will be Jon Champion (play-by-play) and Taylor Twellman (analyst). They will make their 2020 debut in Los Angeles with reporter Stefano Fusaro, while Adrian Healey, MLS Cup champion Alejandro Moreno and reporter Sebastian Salazar will call the Seattle opener. The ESPN Deportes Spanish-language teams include Mauricio Pedroza and former U.S. National Team player and three-time MLS champion Hérculez Gómez in LA, while Richard Mendez and Alex Pareja will be in Seattle.
Studio coverage on ESPN will include Salazar hosting with Moreno, Kasey Keller, Twellman and Gomez.
25th MLS Season Kickoff Weekend Schedule
| Date | Time (ET) | Event | Platforms |
| Sun, Mar 1 | 3:30 p.m. | Seattle Sounders vs. Chicago Fire presented by Audi Adrian Healey, Alejandro Moreno and Sebastian SalazarRichard Mendez and Alex Pareja | ESPNESPN Deportes |
| 5 p.m. | MLS Countdown Live Mike Ryan Ruiz and Susannah Collins | Twitter / YouTube / Facebook / ESPN App | |
| 5:30 p.m. | Los Angeles FC vs. Inter Miami CF presented by Audi Jon Champion, Taylor Twellman and Stefano FusaroMauricio Pedroza and Hérculez Gómez | ESPN /ESPN Deportes |