With the addition of Orlando City SC and New York City FC in 2015 and Chivas USA ceasing operations, Major League Soccer will feature a new conference alignment in 2015 that will see some familiar faces shift conferences.
The league announced Monday that both the Houston Dynamo and Sporting Kansas City will move to the Western Conference, creating two 10-team conferences. The 2015 conference assignments are as follows:
Eastern Conference |
Western Conference |
|---|---|
Chicago Fire<br>
Columbus Crew SC<br>
D.C. United<br>
Montreal Impact<br>
New England Revolution<br>
New York City FC<br>
New York Red Bulls<br>
Orlando City SC<br>
Philadelphia Union<br>
Toronto FC |
Colorado Rapids<br>
FC Dallas<br>
Houston Dynamo<br>
Sporting Kansas City<br>
LA Galaxy<br>
Portland Timbers<br>
Real Salt Lake<br>
San Jose Earthquakes<br>
Seattle Sounders FC<br>
Vancouver Whitecaps FC |
For the 2015 season, the 20 teams will each play 34 games during the regular season. Clubs will play each team in the opposing conference once for five home and five away matches. Clubs will play each of their nine conference opponents at least twice (one home, one away), plus six additional intra-conference games -- three home and three away.
Houston and Kansas City both have extensive experience in the Western Conference. The Dynamo played in the Western Conference from 2006-10, winning MLS Cup titles in 2006 and 2007. Kansas City played in the Western Conference or Western Division from 1996-2004, winning playoff titles in 2000 and 2004 and finishing first in the regular season in 1997, 2000 and 2004.
The clubs squared off in the Eastern Conference playoffs in each of the last three seasons, with Houston winning the conference title in 2011 and 2012 (eliminating KC in the semifinals) and Sporting returning the favor in 2013.
