SEATTLE, WASH. – The United Soccer League on Thursday unveiled the complete 2020 schedule, with Tacoma Defiance hosting 17 matches at Cheney Stadium during the club’s third campaign in Tacoma. The 34-game slate begins on Friday, March 6 with a home match against Reno 1868 FC. Kickoff times for each game will be announced at a later date.
Tacoma will play its first four matches of the season at home, followed by three consecutive road games. Defiance travels to face Cascadia rival Portland Timbers 2 on Saturday, May 16, and Portland visits Cheney Stadium on Friday, July 17. Tacoma closes the 2020 campaign with four of its final five games at home.
Overall, 385 games in the 2020 USL Championship regular season will be played on Saturdays, with a total of 509 games – 85 percent of the league’s schedule – being held on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays.
Following the conclusion of the regular season, the top 10 teams from both the Eastern and Western Conferences will qualify for the 2020 USL Championship Playoffs, which will open with the Eastern and Western Conference Wild Card Round on Wednesday, October 21. The Eastern and Western Conference Quarterfinals will then be held between October 24-25, the Eastern and Western Conference Semifinals between October 30-November 1 and the Eastern and Western Conference Finals between November 6-8.
The 2020 USL Championship Final to conclude the league’s 10th anniversary season will be held between November 12-16 and aired on an ESPN broadcast network.
In a series of key announcements last January at a press conference inside Cheney Stadium, the Tacoma Rainiers and Seattle Sounders FC unveiled the long-awaited new brand for the organizations’ United Soccer League club: Tacoma Defiance. Tacoma’s professional soccer side now officially bears the name of its hometown, while proudly paying homage to the city’s maritime roots and deep sense of civic identity. The Tacoma Defiance is led by second-year Head Coach Chris Little, who guided Tacoma to a 8-19-7 mark in his first season. The club ended its season on a five-match unbeaten streak, including two wins in its final two home contests.
2020 TACOMA DEFIANCE SCHEDULE
<strong>DAY</strong> |
<strong>DATE</strong> |
<strong>OPPONENT</strong> |
<strong>VENUE</strong> |
<p>Friday</p> |
<p>March 6</p> |
<p>vs. Reno 1868 FC</p> |
<p>Cheney Stadium</p> |
<p>Wednesday</p> |
<p>March 11</p> |
<p>vs. San Diego Loyal</p> |
<p>Cheney Stadium</p> |
<p>Sunday</p> |
<p>March 22</p> |
<p>vs. OKC Energy FC</p> |
<p>Cheney Stadium</p> |
<p>Sunday</p> |
<p>March 29</p> |
<p>vs. El Paso Locomotive FC</p> |
<p>Cheney Stadium</p> |
<p>Saturday</p> |
<p>April 4</p> |
<p>at Orange County SC</p> |
<p>Championship Soccer Stadium</p> |
<p>Saturday</p> |
<p>April 11</p> |
<p>at San Antonio FC</p> |
<p>Toyota Field</p> |
<p>Friday</p> |
<p>April 17</p> |
<p>at Real Monarchs SLC</p> |
<p>Zions Bank Stadium</p> |
<p>Wednesday</p> |
<p>April 29</p> |
<p>vs. Sacramento Republic FC</p> |
<p>Cheney Stadium</p> |
<p>Friday</p> |
<p>May 8</p> |
<p>vs. Phoenix Rising FC</p> |
<p>Cheney Stadium</p> |
<p>Saturday</p> |
<p>May 16</p> |
<p>at Portland Timbers 2</p> |
<p>Providence Park</p> |
<p>Friday</p> |
<p>May 22</p> |
<p>vs. LA Galaxy II</p> |
<p>Cheney Stadium</p> |
<p>Tuesday</p> |
<p>May 26</p> |
<p>vs. Austin Bold FC</p> |
<p>Cheney Stadium</p> |
<p>Saturday</p> |
<p>May 30</p> |
<p>at FC Tulsa</p> |
<p>ONEOK Field</p> |
<p>Friday</p> |
<p>June 5</p> |
<p>vs. Las Vegas Lights FC</p> |
<p>Cheney Stadium</p> |
<p>Saturday</p> |
<p>June 20</p> |
<p>vs. Rio Grande Valley FC Toros</p> |
<p>Cheney Stadium</p> |
<p>Saturday</p> |
<p>June 27</p> |
<p>at El Paso Locomotive FC</p> |
<p>Southwest University Park</p> |
<p>Tuesday</p> |
<p>June 30</p> |
<p>at New Mexico United</p> |
<p>Isotopes Park</p> |
<p>Saturday</p> |
<p>July 11</p> |
<p>at OKC Energy FC</p> |
<p>Taft Stadium</p> |
<p>Friday</p> |
<p>July 17</p> |
<p>vs. Portland Timbers 2</p> |
<p>Cheney Stadium</p> |
<p>Saturday</p> |
<p>July 25</p> |
<p>at Las Vegas Lights FC</p> |
<p>Cashman Field</p> |
<p>Wednesday</p> |
<p>July 29</p> |
<p>at Sacramento Republic FC</p> |
<p>Papa Murphy’s Park</p> |
<p>Saturday</p> |
<p>August 1</p> |
<p>vs. New Mexico United</p> |
<p>Cheney Stadium</p> |
<p>Saturday</p> |
<p>August 8</p> |
<p>at LA Galaxy II</p> |
<p>Dignity Health Sports Park</p> |
<p>Saturday</p> |
<p>August 15</p> |
<p>vs. Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC</p> |
<p>Cheney Stadium</p> |
<p>Sunday</p> |
<p>August 23</p> |
<p>at Austin Bold FC</p> |
<p>Bold Stadium</p> |
<p>Friday</p> |
<p>August 28</p> |
<p>at Phoenix Rising FC</p> |
<p>Casino Arizona Field</p> |
<p>Saturday</p> |
<p>September 5</p> |
<p>at Reno 1868 FC</p> |
<p>Greater Nevada Field</p> |
<p>Sunday</p> |
<p>September 13</p> |
<p>at San Diego Loyal</p> |
<p>Torero Stadium</p> |
<p>Saturday</p> |
<p>September 19</p> |
<p>at Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC</p> |
<p>Weidner Field</p> |
<p>Wednesday</p> |
<p>September 23</p> |
<p>vs. San Antonio FC</p> |
<p>Cheney Stadium</p> |
<p>Sunday</p> |
<p>September 27</p> |
<p>vs. Orange County SC</p> |
<p>Cheney Stadium</p> |
<p>Saturday</p> |
<p>October 3</p> |
<p>at Rio Grande Valley FC Toros</p> |
<p>H-E-B Park</p> |
<p>Saturday</p> |
<p>October 10</p> |
<p>vs. FC Tulsa</p> |
<p>Cheney Stadium</p> |
<p>Saturday</p> |
<p>October 17</p> |
<p>vs. Real Monarchs SLC</p> |
<p>Cheney Stadium</p> |
