There is much that is new about Major League Soccer as it begins its 20th season this weekend, with one team shuttered and two new ones joining, but the best news for the league and its players could be that there will be soccer at all. The new collective bargaining agreement hammered out Wednesday night clears the way for Friday night’s opening game (the defending champion, Los Angeles, will host Chicago) and a full weekend schedule highlighted by a meeting Sunday between the league’s two expansion teams, New York City F.C. and Orlando City. Surely no one was happier than they were to welcome labor peace and a chance to get started.

Here’s a look at what else fans can expect:

Eastern Conference

Chicago Fire The Fire set a single-season record for ties in 2014 with 18, so they overhauled their roster in search of anything that might turn a few more of those draws into wins. The early returns are not auspicious: Chicago was 1-0-4 in the preseason, and scored only three goals. The biggest addition is the Scottish midfielder Shaun Maloney, signed from Wigan Athletic of England’s second-tier Championship, though midfielder Harry Shipp will look to build on a stellar rookie season.

Columbus Crew Gregg Berhalter took the Crew to the playoffs in his first season as coach, and he should have added power up front with last fall’s acquisition of the Sierra Leone striker Kei Kamara, who returns hungry — for goals, and for his beloved burritos — after a disappointing 18-month sojourn to England. This is not a star-driven team, but that is probably the way Berhalter likes it.