MLS Next Pro has announced the league’s 2023 schedule and rule changes. North Texas SC kicks off the 2023 MLS NEXT Pro regular season on Sunday, March 26 against LAFC2 at 7 pm CT at Titan Stadium in Cal State Fullerton.
Each club will play 28 intraconference matches over 27 weeks. North Texas will face each conference opponent twice (home and away) plus a third match against 2 teams (Houston Dynamo 2 and Colorado Rapids 2).
All matches will be streamed on MLS Season Pass on Apple TV and MLSNEXTPro.com.
Returning Rules
- No Ties: Winning on PKs awards an extra point above the single point for the tie.
- Off-field Treatment: a player down for more than 15 seconds has to go off the field for three minutes.
- Red Card Suspension: if a player receives a red card, he will serve a 1-game suspension against that same opponent.
New Rule: Timed Substitutions
Players are allowed a maximum of 10 seconds to leave the field when he is substituted off. If the player does not leave the field of play within 10 seconds, the offending team plays a man down for one minute.
NORTH TEXAS SC 2023 SCHEDULE
| Date | Opponent | Venue | Time (CT) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sunday, March 26 | LAFC 2 | Cal State Fullerton | 7 PM |
| Sunday, April 2 | LA Galaxy II | DHSP Track & Field Stadium | 7 PM |
| Sunday, April 9 | Whitecaps FC 2 | Choctaw Stadium | 7:30 PM |
| Wednesday, April 12 | Austin FC II | Parmer Field | 7 PM |
| Sunday, April 16 | MNUFC 2 | Choctaw Stadium | 7:30 PM |
| Friday, April 21 | Real Monarchs | Choctaw Stadium | 7:30 PM |
| Sunday, April 30 | Colorado Rapids 2 | TBD | 5 PM |
| Sunday, May 7 | St Louis CITY 2 | Choctaw Stadium | 7:30 PM |
| Friday, May 12 | Earthquakes II | PayPal Park | 9 PM |
| Sunday, May 21 | Houston Dynamo 2 | Choctaw Stadium | 7:30 PM |
| Thursday, May 25 | Colorado Rapids 2 | Choctaw Stadium | 7:30 PM |
| Sunday, May 28 | St Louis CITY2 | CITYPARK | 5 PM |
| Sunday, June 4 | LA Galaxy II | Choctaw Stadium | 7:30 PM |
| Saturday, June 10 | Timbers 2 | Providence Park | 7 PM |
| Bye Round | |||
| Friday, June 16 | Earthquakes II | Choctaw Stadium | 7:30 PM |
| Sunday, June 25 | Sporting KC II | Rock Chalk Park | 6 PM |
| Sunday, July 2 | LAFC 2 | Choctaw Stadium | 7:30 PM |
| Sunday, July 9 | Tacoma Defiance | Starfire Stadium | 10 PM |
| Sunday, July 16 | Houston Dynamo 2 | AVEVA Stadium | 6 PM |
| Saturday, July 22 | Sporting KC II | Choctaw Stadium | 7:30 PM |
| Saturday, July 29 | Timbers 2 | Choctaw Stadium | 7:30 PM |
| Saturday, Aug 5 | MNUFC 2 | National Sports Center | 7 PM |
| Saturday, Aug 12 | Real Monarchs | Zions Bank Stadium | 9:30 PM |
| Saturday, Aug 19 | Tacoma Defiance | Choctaw Stadium | 7:30 PM |
| Friday, Aug 25 | Whitecaps FC 2 | Swangard Stadium | 9 PM |
| Sunday, Sept 3 | Colorado Rapids 2 | Choctaw Stadium | 8:30 PM |
| Bye Round | |||
| Sunday, Sept 17 | Houston Dynamo 2 | AVEVA Stadium | 5:30 PM |
| Sunday, Sept 24 | Austin FC II | Choctaw Stadium | 4 PM |
Conference Alignment
The Western Conference has 14 teams who play in the Pacific and Frontier Divisions. The 3-team Easter Conference is divided between the Central and Northeast Divisions.
| Pacific | Frontier | Central | Northeast |
|---|---|---|---|
| Whitecaps FC 2 | Colorado Rapids 2 | Chicago Fire II | New England Revolution II |
| Tacoma Defiance | Sporting KC II | Columbus Crew 2 | NYCFC II |
| Timbers2 | Houston Dynamo 2 | FC Cincinnati 2 | Philadelphia Union II |
| Earthquakes II | North Texas SC | Orlando City B | TFC II |
| Real Monarchs | MNUFC2 | Inter Miami II | New York Red Bulls II |
| LA Galaxy II | St Louis CITY2 | Atlanta United 2 | Crown Legacy FC |
| LAFC2 | Austin FC II | Huntsville City FC |
The Eastern Conference will add Atlanta United 2 and Huntsville City FC to the Central Division and New York Red Bulls II and Crown Legacy FC to the Northeast Division.
In the Western Conference, LA Galaxy II and LAFC2 will both join the Pacific Division while Austin FC II joins the Frontier Division.
New Playoff Format
- 7 teams make the playoff from each conference: the two division champions and the next best 5 clubs in the conference.
- Three rounds (Begining Sept 29) + MLS Next Cup
- #1 seed in each conference has a bye.
- The higher seeds pick their opponent in each round.