LA Galaxy II Announce 2023 MLS NEXT Pro Schedule

LOS ANGELES (Tuesday, March 14, 2023) – Beginning their inaugural season in MLS NEXT Pro, LA Galaxy II kick off the 2023 campaign by traveling to face San Jose Earthquakes II at PayPal Park on Sunday, March 26 (5:00 p.m. PT). Los Dos play host North Texas SC at Dignity Health Sports Park’s Track & Field Stadium in the club’s 2023 home opener on Sunday, April 2 (5:00 p.m. PT). The League’s second season will feature 27 clubs, including seven new MLS affiliates. Joining MLS NEXT Pro in 2023 will be Atlanta United 2, Austin FC II, Crown Legacy FC (Charlotte FC), Huntsville City FC (Nashville SC), LA Galaxy II, Los Angeles Football Club 2 and New York Red Bulls II.

The majority of regular season matches, plus all Decision Day matches, playoff matches and MLS NEXT Pro Cup, will be available to watch live and on-demand on MLS Season Pass on the Apple TV app.The remainder of regular season matches will stream live on mlsnextpro.com. MLS Season Pass is the subscription service from Apple and Major League Soccer that is home to all MLS and Leagues Cup matches and hundreds of MLS NEXT Pro and MLS NEXT matches.

The complete 2023 schedule is available on MLSNEXTPro.com and consists of 378 regular season matches. Each club will play 28 matches over 27 weeks – an increase from 24 matches per club in 2022 - including 14 matches at home and 14 on the road.

LA Galaxy II home matches at Dignity Health Sports Park’s Track & Field Stadium are open to the public. Tickets are not required, but standard event policies will be in effect.

NEW PLAYOFF FORMAT
The 2023 season will feature an expanded playoffs format that includes a pick-your-opponent element in the first two rounds.

Within each conference, the two division champions and the five clubs with the next highest points (seven clubs total) will advance to the 2023 MLS NEXT Pro Playoffs. The Playoffs will consist of three rounds followed by MLS NEXT Pro Cup, taking place over four consecutive weeks beginning the weekend of September 29. The club with the most regular season points in each conference (#1 seed) will earn a first round bye, automatically advancing to the Conference Semifinals.

Conference Quarterfinals: 

• The next two teams with the most points in each conference (#2 and #3 seeds) will choose their opponent and host their match (one of two teams must be the other division champion)
• The two remaining teams that are not selected will play each other, with the higher seeded team hosting

Conference Semifinals: 

• The team with the most overall points in the conference (#1 seed) will choose its opponent from the remaining two lowest seeded teams and host the match
• The second highest seed will host the remaining team

Conference Finals: 

• The team with the most regular season points (higher seed) will host the team with the lowest points (lower seed )

MLS NEXT Pro Cup: 

• The team with the most regular season points (higher seed) will host MLS NEXT Pro Cup

RETURNING RULES
There will be no ties in MLS NEXT Pro once again in 2023. Shootouts using kicks from the penalty mark will return this season to decide a match that is tied after regulation. Both teams will receive one point each for the tie, with the winner of the shootout receiving one additional point (two points total). In 2022, 20% of all matches resulted in a shootout.

Implemented midway through last season, both the Off-field Treatment Rule and Red Card Suspension Rule will also return in 2023. Under the Off-field Treatment Rule: If a player is suspected to have an injury and is on the ground for longer than 15 seconds, a medical crew will come onto the field to evaluate the player and assist him off. Once the player is off the field, the player will be treated by the medical staff and will be required to remain off the field for three minutes. Under the Red Card Suspension Rule: if a player receives a red card, he will serve the resulting one-game suspension against that same opponent.

NEW RULE
To further decrease preventable match delays and increase effective match time, this season will see the addition of a new Timed Substitution Rule, which will allow a maximum of 10 seconds for a player to leave the field when he is substituted. If the player does not leave the field of play within the 10 seconds, the replacement player will only be able to enter after a 60 second holding period, resulting in the offending team playing a man down for a minimum of one minute.

LA Galaxy II Schedule Breakdown:

Games by Month:

March (1), April (5), May (5), June (5), July (3), August (5), September (4)

Home Dates by Month:
April (3), May (3), June (1), July (2), August (2), September (3)

Road Dates by Month:
March (1), April (2), May (2), June (4), July (1), August (3), September (1)

Frontier Division Opponents at Home: 
Austin FC II, Colorado Rapids 2, Houston Dynamo 2, Minnesota United FC 2, North Texas SC, Sporting Kansas City II, St Louis CITY SC 2

Pacific Division Opponents at Home: 
Los Angeles FC 2 (2), Portland Timbers 2, Real Monarchs, Tacoma Defiance, Whitecaps FC 2, San Jose Earthquakes II

LA Galaxy II’s entire 2023 MLS NEXT Pro regular season schedule can be found below.