Fans attending the Minnesota United home opener should plan on bringing a winter coat.
It was announced on Thursday that the Loons will start their 2020 season on Mar. 1 at the Portland Timbers.
Just two weeks later, United will host its home opener on Sunday, Mar. 15, against the New York Red Bulls.
We know what you’re thinking: March 15? In Minnesota? It’s going to be cold. What’s more, the game starts at 6 p.m., so the night will be drawing in as the game kicks off.
The average high temperatures for mid-March in the Twin Cities ranges from 39-44, per WeatherSpark, while the average lows range between 23-28.
Last year, the home opener wasn’t until Apr. 13, though that was owing to the final work on Allianz Field being completed, which saw the Loons start their season with five consecutive road games.
The full 34-game schedule for 2020 will be released in the coming weeks. A new addition to Major League Soccer for 2020 is Inter Miami CF, the new Florida team that counts David Beckham among its owners.
United are looking for a repeat of their 2019 season, which saw them qualify for the playoffs after finishing 4th in the MLS Western Conference, though they lost in the first round of the playoffs to LA Galaxy.
Tickets will be hard to come by
MNUFC says that due to the large number of season-ticket members, single-game tickets for the home opener will be “very limited” and will likely be sold “before sales open to the general public.”
That’s because season-ticket holders get the first chance to buy extra tickets for the opener, while a limited number will be made available to The Preserve, the Allianz Field waiting list.
There will also be some made available to subscribers of an MNUFC newsletter, which will be distributed on a first-come, first-served basis.
Presales are expected to begin in early January. Sign up for a newsletter here.
