ESPN Kicks Off Audi 2020 MLS Cup Playoffs Coverage Friday with Nashville SC-Inter Miami CF Play-In Match

MLSSoccer

ESPN Kicks Off Audi 2020 MLS Cup Playoffs Coverage Friday with Nashville SC-Inter Miami CF Play-In Match

  • Eight-Match MLS Cup Playoffs Schedule on ESPN networks will culminate with Conference Final Match on Dec. 6
  • Surround coverage on SportsCenter, ESPN FC and ESPN Digital platforms

ABC, ESPN, ESPN2 and ESPN Deportes will present live English and Spanish-language coverage of eight Audi 2020 MLS Cup Playoffs matches beginning Friday, Nov. 20, with the Play-In Round match between Major League Soccer’s 2020 expansion teams – Nashville SC vs. Inter Miami CF – at 9 p.m. ET on ESPN2 and ESPN Deportes.

ABC will broadcast two playoff matches: an Eastern Conference Semifinal on Sunday, Nov. 29, at 3 p.m., and a Conference Final on Sunday, Dec. 6, at 3 p.m. ESPN’s MLS Cup Playoffs schedule also features back-to-back primetime doubleheaders on Sunday, Nov. 22, and Tuesday, Nov. 24. All matches will be available on the ESPN App.

Schedule:

Date Time (ET) Event/Commentators Networks
Fri, Nov 20 9 p.m. Audi 2020 MLS Cup Playoffs: Play-In Round

Nashville SC vs. Inter Miami CF

Jon Champion and Taylor Twellman

Richard Mendez and Alex Pareja

ESPN2, ESPN Deportes
Sun, Nov 22  7:30 p.m. Audi 2020 MLS Cup Playoffs: Round I

Minnesota United FC vs. Colorado Rapids

Adrian Healey and Alejandro Moreno

Kenneth Garay and Pareja

ESPN, ESPN Deportes
  10 p.m. Audi MLS Cup Playoffs: Round I

Portland Timbers vs. FC Dallas

Champion and Twellman

Mendez and Herculez Gomez

ESPN, ESPN Deportes
Tue, Nov 24 8 p.m. Audi 2020 MLS Cup Playoffs – Round l

Philadelphia Union vs. NE/MTL/MIA

Healey and Moreno

Garay and Pareya

ESPN, ESPN Deportes
10:30 p.m. Audi 2020 MLS Cup Playoffs – Round I

Seattle Sounders vs. LAFC

Champion and Twellman

Mendez and Gomez

ESPN, ESPN Deportes
Sun, Nov 29 3 p.m. Audi 2020 MLS Cup Playoffs – Eastern Conference Semifinal ABC, ESPN Deportes
  8 p.m. Audi 2020 MLS Cup Playoffs – Eastern Conference Semifinal ESPN, ESPN Deportes
Sun, Dec 6 3 p.m. Audi 2020 MLS Cup Playoffs – Conference Finals ABC, ESPN Deportes

Key matchups:

  • Nashville SC vs. Inter Miami CF (Nov. 20): One of MLS’s 2020 expansion teams will earn a spot in the next round. Inter Miami made one of the best mid-season upgrades in MLS history with the arrival of 2018 FIFA World Cup champion Blaise Matuidi from Juventus FC in Italy’s Serie A and Gonzalo Higuan from Chelsea FC (on loan from Juventus) in the English Premier League
  • Portland Timbers vs. FC Dallas (Nov. 22): After winning the MLS is Back Tournament in August, Portland Timbers kick off the playoffs with hopes of capturing their second title of the season
  • Philadelphia vs. NE/MTL/MIA (Nov. 24): Philadelphia Union, which won its first trophy – The Supporters Shield (best record in MLS) – will host a Round 1 opponent (either New England Revolution, Montreal Impact, or Inter Miami CF) in the Eastern Conference
  • Seattle Sounders vs. LAFC (Nov. 24): A rematch of the 2019 MLS Cup Playoffs Western Conference semifinal when Seattle’s 3-1 road victory knocked top-seed LAFC out of the playoffs.

Studio Coverage:

  • SportsCenter: Editions of the ESPN flagship program will feature MLS Cup Playoffs highlights and analysis
  • ESPN FC (6 p.m. ET daily on ESPN+): Host Dan Thomas, analysts Shaka Hislop, Craig Burley and Alejandro Moreno will showcase MLS Cup Playoffs highlights and analysis
  • ESPN Deportes: Studio programs such as SportsCenter, Jorge Ramos y su Banda, and others will include Audi 2020 MLS Cup Playoffs segments.

ESPN.com Digital: www.espn.com/soccer, the industry leading global soccer news and information platform, will provide extensive coverage of Audi 2020 MLS Cup Playoffs. Reporters Jeff Carlisle and Tom Marshall will headline the outlet’s coverage of the playoffs. Highlights:

  • Previews of every playoff match including storylines to watch and matchup analysis
  • Post-match reaction and analysis on key early stage matches, as well as post-match reports for the semifinals and final matches
  • MLS Cup previews: Comprehensive coverage planned including a countdown of the league’s best players as Major League Soccer concludes its 25th season.

– 30 –

Mac Nwulu

I joined ESPN in 1998 and since then, it's been a great experience managing PR and communications for a range of ESPN initiatives and properties over the years. I am currently focused on soccer and Andscape, ESPN’s site focusing on sports, race and urban culture and how they intersect.
Back to top button