The 2020 USL League One schedule has been announced with champions North Texas SC starting on the road.
Eric Quill’s side will travel to South Georgia Tormenta on March 28 before a home opener against Orlando City B at Toyota Stadium. That game will feature as part of a double header with FC Dallas v LAFC. The FC Dallas development side returns to Frisco for a solo appearance with FC Dallas on the road in Minnesota on April 18.
The team’s first game at Globe Life Park takes place on May 3 against new side, Union Omaha. They continue a brief home stand with games against Forward Madison and Tormenta FC.
June begins with an MLS back-to-back as Toronto FC II visits Arlington before NTX makes the trip to Gillette Field for a first meeting with Revolution II. The summer months also feature home and away fixtures with both opponents in the 2019 playoffs – Forward Madison and Greenville Triumph – as well as a first game with Inter Miami’s USL side at the Ballpark in late August.
A difficult run-in sees four of the last six away from home, and three of those against MLS opposition in Toronto, Orlando, and Miami. The regular season finishes back in Arlington a day before FC Dallas’ season finale at the LA Galaxy, with the reigning USL-1 champs hosting FC Tucson on Saturday, October 3.
Fortress Frisco Arlington
Contrary to North Texas’ starting home stand in 2019, they must play through the first month alternating home and away before getting into Globe Life Park for that initial three-game stand that almost sees them through May.
There’s no choosing sides
FC Dallas and North Texas SC’s schedules are constructed not to clash. Aside from the double-header in April there are three weekends where both teams are home alternating between Saturday and Sunday:
May 2/3 – FCD v Chicago, NTX v Omaha
June 20/21 – FCD v Minnesota, NTX v Omaha (That’s not a typo)
July 11/12 – FCD v LA, NTX v Revolution II
August 22/23 – NTX v Miami, FCD v Nashville
For the not faint of hearted, FC Dallas travels to Houston for the Texas Derby as part of MLS’ rivalry week on Thursday, August 20. North Texas SC hosts its El Plastico arch-nemesis Forward Madison the night before at Ballpark.
Like clockwork
USL League One added three new teams and lost Lansing Ignited over the off-season but the 28-game season remains in place with the same starting and finishing weekends. The biggest change is the switch from a four team play-off to six teams with the top two receiving a first round bye.
As was the case in 2019, the entire league will be broadcast on ESPN+.
North Texas SC also announced preseason games with Sporting II (formerly Swope Park Rangers) and FC Tulsa (nee Tulsa Roughnecks) of USL Championship, with another two tune-up games to be announced.