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Chicago Fire Schedule for 2012 MLS Regular Season: It's here

2012 MLS Schedule coming out of the shadows
2012 MLS Schedule coming out of the shadows

Major League Soccer and the Chicago Fire released their full schedule today. Here are some highlights. Full schedule after the break.

Chicago is slated to appear in a total of 13 nationally televised broadcasts. The Sunday, July 8 game vs. LA Galaxy will be on ESPN. The October 6 game vs. New York at 2:30 PM CST will be on NBC. The other games are on ESPNDeportes, Galavision or the new Versus, NBC Sports Network. The club will release their 2012 regional television schedule at a later date. It's great to see the team and the league getting more national TV time. The new deal with NBC is coming through big time.

Opening Day at Toyota Park will be against the Philadelphia Union on Saturday, March 24 at 7:30 PM CST. The club will also commemorate its founding and mark the 141st anniversary of the Great Chicago Fire when they host the Peter Nowak-led Union in a 15th Anniversary Match at Toyota Park on Wednesday, October 3 at 7:30 PM CST. October 8 is on a Monday this year so they couldn't have had the game on the exact date. Saturday, October 6 could have been close enough but that's the day of the NYRB game on NBC. I'll take Peter Nowak being there when the club honors it's 15 year anniversary.

D.C. United and the Montreal Impact will be the two Eastern Conference teams the Fire only play twice. Chicago will host Houston, Philadelphia, and Columbus twice. In turn, they will visit New England, New York, Kansas City, and Toronto twice.

Chicago lucks out with hosting all four of the top 2011 clubs at home: Los Angeles, Seattle, Real Salt Lake and Dallas and not having to do away trips there. The Wednesday, May 23 game at Toyota Park will be the only match-up in the 2012 Brimstone Cup.

The Fire have 19 Saturday match days, 10 at Toyota Park and nine on the road. Six Sunday afternoon/evening fixtures, four at home and two away.

The longest road trip Chicago has this year is a nightmarish New York to Toronto to San Jose trip between Wednesday, July 18 to Saturday, July 28.

#

DATE

OPPONENT

VENUE

HOME/AWAY

TIME (CT)

1

Saturday, Mar 17

Montreal

Montreal

Away

1:00PM

2

Saturday, Mar 24

Philadelphia

Chicago

Home

7:30PM

3

Sunday, Apr 1 (Galavision)

Colorado

Colorado

Away

6:00PM

4

Sunday, Apr 15 (Galavision)

Houston

Chicago

Home

6:00PM

5

Saturday, Apr 21 (NBCSN)

Toronto FC

Toronto FC

Away

2:30PM

6

Saturday, Apr 28

Seattle

Chicago

Home

7:30PM

7

Friday, May 4 (ESPN Deportes)

Chivas USA

Chivas USA

Away

10:00PM

8

Wednesday, May 9

Real Salt Lake

Chicago

Home

7:30PM

9

Saturday, May 12

Kansas City

Chicago

Home

7:30PM

10

Sunday, May 20 (Galavision)

Portland

Portland

Away

6:00PM

11

Wednesday, May 23

FC Dallas

Chicago

Home

7:30PM

12

Saturday, May 26 (Galavision)

Columbus

Columbus

Away

6:00PM

13

Saturday, Jun 2

New England

New England

Away

6:30PM

14

Sunday, Jun 17 (NBCSN)

New York

Chicago

Home

4:00PM

15

Saturday, Jun 23

Columbus

Chicago

Home

7:30PM

16

Friday, Jun 29 (NBCSN)

Kansas City

Kansas City

Away

7:00PM

17

Tuesday, Jul 3

Houston

Houston

Away

7:30PM

18

Sunday, Jul 8 (ESPN)

LA Galaxy

Chicago

Home

2:00PM

19

Saturday, Jul 14

Vancouver

Chicago

Home

7:30PM

20

Wednesday, Jul 18

New York

New York

Away

12:00PM

21

Saturday, Jul 21

Toronto FC

Toronto FC

Away

3:00PM

22

Saturday, Jul 28

San Jose

San Jose

Away

9:30PM

23

Saturday, Aug 4

Toronto FC

Chicago

Home

7:30PM

24

Sunday, Aug 12 (Galavision)

Philadelphia

Philadelphia

Away

6:00PM

25

Saturday, Aug 18

New England

Chicago

Home

7:30PM

26

Wednesday, Aug 22

DC United

DC United

Away

6:30PM

27

Sunday, Sep 2 (Galavision)

Houston

Chicago

Home

6:00PM

28

Saturday, Sep 15

Montreal

Chicago

Home

7:30PM

29

Saturday, Sep 22

Columbus

Chicago

Home

7:30PM

30

Friday, Sep 28 (NBCSN)

Kansas City

Kansas City

Away

7:30PM

31

Wednesday, Oct 3

Philadelphia

Chicago

Home

7:30PM

32

Saturday, Oct 6 (NBC)

New York

New York

Away

2:30PM

33

Saturday, Oct 20

New England

New England

Away

6:30PM

34

Saturday, Oct 27 (NBCSN)

DC United

Chicago

Home

6:30PM