On Wednesday morning, Major League Soccer unveiled the finalized schedule for the MLS is Back Tournament, running from July 8 to August 11.
Already drawn into the Group B alongside FC Dallas, the San Jose Earthquakes and the Vancouver Whitecaps, the Sounders now have their precise group stage schedule and broadcast details set.
The Rave Green will open up the group stage with a clash against the San Jose Earthquakes on July 10 (6:00 p.m. PT; ESPN, ESPN Deportes, TSN), an intriguing opening salvo to this brand new competition. In the next fixture, Seattle will take the Vancouver Whitecaps on July 20 (7:30 p.m. PT; TUDN, TSN), making this Cascadia clash a decisive match as the Sounders seek to secure a spot in the knockout rounds. The Sounders were slated to play FC Dallas on July 15 prior to the Texas side's withdrawal from the competition.
All three matches in the group stage will count toward the 2020 MLS regular season standings, as the league is set to announce the blueprint for any subsequent matches in the coming weeks. Operating in a World Cup-style format, the top two finishers from each group will automatically advance, with the four best third-place finishers also earning spots in the Round of 16.
Utilizing a single-elimination structure in the knockout rounds, the teams that move on from the group stage will be competing for a $1.1 million prize pool, and the winner of the competition will secure an automatic berth for the 2021 Scotiabank Concacaf Champions League.
You can find more information on the MLS is Back tournament HERE.
