Record-breaking cold expected for Colorado Rapids vs Toronto FC

If you’re in Colorado, be sure to layer up tonight. The CONCACAF Champions League round of 16 tie could well be the coldest-ever game between two MLS sides (perhaps even one of the coldest soccer games on record, period).

Currently, it looks like Commerce City, CO’s temperature at kickoff will be about -9 degrees Celsius, with windchill taking it down to -13. Fun, right?

I guess the good news is it looks unlikely to snow during the match itself. That said, it was snowing most of Monday, and might continue a little bit this morning. Fortunately, the pitch at Dick’s Sporting Goods Park is apparently heated, so there shouldn’t be too much buildup on the playing surface itself. The wind doesn’t look too bad at gametime either.

Still, I doubt we’ll be seeing much elite technical football. TFC do have more recent experience with cold, although none of their frigid playoff games come close in terms of temperature to what we’re expecting tonight.

The Reds and the Rapids trained at Dick’s Sporting Goods today, and it didn’t look particularly pleasant:

The coldest MLS game on record was Minnesota United’s opener last season, where temperatures hit -7 Celsius as the Loons fell 6-1 to Atlanta United. This will make that snow bowl look like child’s play in terms of sheer cold.

Bring out the orange ball!