Toronto FC schedule: The full 2018 MLS fixture list

You can fill in your calendars now. Toronto FC know who they’ll be seeing in 2018, as the MLS fixture list was released this afternoon.

Of course, we already knew how TFC will open their season — the away leg of their CONCACAF Champions League tie with the Colorado Rapids kicks off in Denver at 10 p.m. on Tuesday, February 20. They’ll follow that up with the home leg at 8 p.m. on February 27.

As for how the MLS season will begin, we already knew that, too. The Reds host the Columbus Crew on March 3, and they have a bye in Week 2 (which is when the CCL quarter-finals would be). They’ll then take part in the Montreal Impact’s home opener, on St. Patrick’s Day at the Stade Olympique.

Here’s the rest of TFC’s 2018 MLS schedule:

At first glance, it doesn’t look too bad. The Reds don’t have a midweek game until May 9, when the Seattle Sounders come to BMO Field for an MLS Cup rematch. In fact, they only have four all year, compared to six in 2017 (not including the Canadian Championship or playoffs).

There are a lot of Saturday evening kickoffs, as well as a string of Friday night games in May and early June. As with all other MLS teams, TFC have a break in June for the World Cup (despite Armando Cooper being the only player participating).

The New York Red Bulls will make their return to Toronto on Canada Day (a Saturday). That’s definitely one date to look forward to. Unfortunately, the Reds won’t get to travel to Los Angeles FC’s new stadium this season; they’ll play both LA clubs back-to-back at home in September.

Toronto will get to visit D.C. United’s new stadium in October, and they’ll make their first-ever away trip to play Minnesota United on July 4. That game against the Loons kicks off a four-game road trip for TFC in July, during which they’ll also play Sporting Kansas City, Orlando City, and the Chicago Fire.

TFC have a lot of road games in the summer, that July road trip coming on top of a June in which they have no MLS home game scheduled (but there’ll likely be a Canadian Championship tie somewhere in there).

As for the 401 Derby, that Olympic Stadium matchup will be joined by a Rivalry Week game at BMO Field on August 25, and a fixture at Saputo Stadium on October 21.

Funnily enough, the 2018 regular season finishes in the opposite way of 2017 for Toronto: they play away to Montreal in their second-last game, before hosting Atlanta United on Decision Day.

By my count, TFC will be on national TV in Canada at least four times in 2018, with CTV picking up the March away game in Montreal as well as three straight April fixtures against the Colorado Rapids, Houston Dynamo, and Chicago Fire. The Reds will also be on ESPN twice, with consecutive games in August against Atlanta United and New York City FC broadcast nationally south of the border.

Overall, this year’s schedule looks pretty balanced (but we’ll wait and see how the Canadian Championship and CCL go before deciding).