Nashville SC will begin their 2021 Major League Soccer campaign against FC Cincinnati, Major League Soccer announced Wednesday. The Boys In Gold will host their former USL Championship rival at Nissan Stadium on Saturday, April 17.
“We are all excited about getting started on our second season in Major League Soccer,” said Ian Ayre, Nashville SC CEO. “Just as we kicked off the 2020 season with an exciting fixture against Atlanta United FC, the ability to match up against FC Cincinnati is a great way to kick off 2021. We are confident, even with current restrictions, that all season ticket members will be able to attend. We will continue to work with MLS, Nissan Stadium and Metro to review attendance restrictions moving forwards and to ensure we can continue to give access to as many fans as possible as the season unfolds.”
While the two sides haven’t played in MLS, they met four times in the USL Championship in the 2018 season. All three regular season matches ended in draws, while their meeting in the Eastern Conference quarterfinals stayed level through 120 minutes, with Cincinnati advancing on penalty kicks.
“Getting the 2021 Major League Soccer season started offers a tremendous platform to build off our positive momentum from our expansion season a year ago, and I know that our players and staff are excited to be able to do so at home in front of our fans at Nissan Stadium.” said Nashville SC General Manager Mike Jacobs.
Nashville SC confirmed that they’re working with local health officials to determine the number of fans allowed in the stadium for the opener. MLS will announce more of the 2021 schedule in the coming weeks.
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