Year 2 is coming: Real Monarchs have a schedule for a newly expanded season in MLS NEXT Pro
The second-year reserve league will expand to 28 teams after losing one, independent Rochester NY FC, for the 2023 season.
HERRIMAN — Real Monarchs are back, and so is MLS NEXT Pro.
Less than a week after finalizing the contraction of independent club
Rochester NY FC (which announced on Friday that it has suspended operations for at least the 2023 season), the league revealed the format of a 27-team league Tuesday afternoon.
Real Monarchs will open its 28-game slate March 24 at 8 p.m. MDT at Zions Bank Stadium against Minnesota United FC 2 before spending two weeks on the road, April 2 at Tacoma Defiance and April 9 at San Jose Earthquakes II.
New to the 2023 season is a playoff format that will feature two division champions and five clubs next highest in points in the regular-season table. All but one team will compete on “Decision Day” Sept. 24, with 13 matches to determine the final playoff spots and seeding, including seven teams from each conference.
The first two rounds of the expanded playoffs will also include a pick-your-opponent element for the first two rounds. The No. 1 seed from each conference will automatically advance to the playoff semifinals, with each conference’s No. 2 and No. 3 seeds choosing their opponent for their home quarterfinal.
The two remaining teams that are not selected will play each other, with the higher seeded team hosting.
Also announced Tuesday, 14 clubs will play in the league’s Western Conference and 13 in the Eastern Conference, with both conferences divided into two divisions apiece. The East will add Atlanta United 2 and Huntsville City FC (Nashville) to form the Central division and New York Red Bulls II and Crown Legacy FC (Charlotte) to form the Northeast.
In the West, LA Galaxy II and LAFC2 will join the Pacific division, while Austin FC II joins the Frontier division.
The majority of league matches will be streamed on MLS Season Pass on Apple TV, including all Decision Day and MLS NEXT Pro Cup playoff matches.
Real Monarchs’ full schedule is available now at RealMonarchs.com.
