COLUMBUS – MLS NEXT Pro today released Columbus Crew 2’s 24-match schedule for the 2022 regular season. Crew 2 opens its inaugural season on the road against Fort Lauderdale CF at DRV PNK Stadium on Saturday, March 26 at 6:00 p.m. ET. Following two additional road contests, the Black & Gold’s home opener is set to take place against Orlando City B at its home venue, Historic Crew Stadium on Friday, April 15 at 7:00 p.m. ET. Ticketing information for the 2022 season will be announced at a later date.
“Our staff has been hard at work the past few months, so we are thrilled that we are a little over a month away from the beginning of our season,” said Crew 2 General Manager Corey Wray. “As we have said before, bridging the existing gap in our academy to professional level pathway is crucial to our long-term viability, and this is an important moment as we continue to evolve as a club. We can’t wait to begin the 2022 MLS NEXT Pro season and look forward to seeing everyone back at Historic Crew Stadium for the Crew 2 home opener on April 15.”
Crew 2’s regular season schedule includes 12 home matches and 12 road contests across 26 weeks and includes three contests against in-state rivals FC Cincinnati. Notably, the team’s home contest against Toronto FC II on Saturday, May 21 is slated to be part of a double-header played at Lower.com Field at 7:00 p.m. ET, following the First Team’s home match against Los Angeles FC. The regular season culminates on Sunday, September 18 with an MLS NEXT Pro Decision Day home match against FC Cincinnati 2 to decide MLS NEXT Pro’s Hell is Real derby. Crew 2’s full 2022 MLS NEXT Pro schedule can be viewed below as well as at columbuscrew.com/crew2.
In addition to announcing the 2022 regular season schedule, MLS NEXT Pro also unveiled the alignment of teams for the 2022 season. Teams have been divided into two conferences, an Eastern and Western Conference, comprised of two Divisions in each. Each team will play divisional opponents two to three times, as well as the other teams in their conference at least twice. A total of four non-conference matchups will take place during the 2022 MLS NEXT Pro season.
Crew 2 is set to be in the Central Division of the Eastern Conference, along with FC Cincinnati 2, Fort Lauderdale CF, Orlando City B and Chicago Fire FC II.
A total of eight teams, four from each conference, will qualify for the MLS NEXT Pro Playoffs. This includes the top team from each division, and the two teams with the next most points in each conference. More information about the Playoff Format and Schedule will be announced at a later date.
Fans will be able to watch every Crew 2 contest, as well as all matches of MLS NEXT Pro’s inaugural season, via live stream on mlsnextpro.com. In addition, more than 30 games will be billed as “Games of the Week”, featuring enhanced productions. Each MLS NEXT Pro club will have at least one home game featured, and all playoff games will be enhanced productions.
For the full 2022 MLS NEXT Pro Schedule, as well as more information on division alignment, please visit mlsnextpro.com.
