By RYAN BRISTER



Major League Soccer unveiled its schedule for the 2017 regular season on Thursday. Here are some of the dates and matches you might want to highlight on your calendar.

Orlando City SC vs. New York City FC, March 5th at 5 p.m. on ESPN

MLS’s newest soccer-specific stadium opens when Orlando hosts NYCFC. These teams began their MLS existence against each other two years ago in front of more than 60,000 at the Citrus Bowl; a smaller, closer crowd will be packed in for this one.

Atlanta United vs. New York Red Bulls, March 5th at 7 p.m. on FS1

Atlanta United’s first competitive match pits them against the team that used to wear their colors. Atlanta has been ambitious in the build up to MLS, setting records for season ticket holders and making the most of Arthur Blank’s checkbook. It all gets put to the test on the first Sunday of the season.

Minnesota United vs. Atlanta United, March 12th at 5 p.m. on ESPN

The first MLS game in Minnesota also marks the first meeting between this year’s expansion sides. Playing at TCF Bank Stadium until their own venue is complete, Minnesota will look to show that their more down-to-earth approach is every bit as correct as the flashy signings made by Atlanta.

Seattle Sounders vs. Toronto FC, May 6th at 4 p.m. on ESPN

Where the 2016 season began with an MLS Cup rematch, we will have to wait until May to see Seattle host Toronto. The Sounders survived a scoreless 120 minutes and won on penalties back in December.

Seattle Sounders vs. Portland Timbers, May 27th at 3 p.m. on Fox

The league’s most prominent rivalry resumes later in the month, as Seattle and Portland face off once more. Beyond the usual Cascadia Cup stakes, this is a meeting of the last two MLS Cup winners. Bragging rights belong to Seattle for now; the Timbers will look to change that as soon as they can.

New York Red Bulls vs. New York City FC, June 24th at 1:30 p.m. on Fox

It is one of the league’s newer rivalries, but the Hudson River Derby doesn’t lack for enmity. The Red Bulls have taken five of the first six meetings, including the infamous 7-0 beatdown last year. NYCFC will look to flip that script in the season to come.

San Jose Earthquakes vs. LA Galaxy, July 1st at 10 p.m. on Univision

As is tradition around Independence Day, San Jose will host LA in the California Clasico at Stanford Stadium. You can safely predict 50,000 fans in attendance, but nothing else. These games have been thrillers in recent years.

Atlanta United vs. Orlando City SC, July 30th at 4 p.m. on Fox

After starting their season playing at Georgia Tech’s football stadium, Atlanta United will open their permanent home in late July. They will do so against the closest team to them on the map, Orlando City. Expect a fair amount of purple in what could potentially be the largest standalone crowd in league history. These two teams will meet first just nine days before this one.

Montreal Impact vs. Toronto FC, August 27th at 4:30 p.m. on ESPN

After their epic Eastern Conference Final, Montreal and Toronto don’t have a scheduled meeting until August. It is the first of three games between the two down the stretch, which presumably will have big consequences in the playoff race.

Real Salt Lake vs. Sporting Kansas City, October 22nd at 4 p.m.

It is foolhardy to predict an MLS season months in advance, but Salt Lake and Kansas City may well be vying for one of the last playoff spots in the West on the final day of the season. Regardless of the stakes, this matchup has been a budding rivalry since Sporting switched to the Western Conference in 2015.