No Messi on the schedule, but Austin FC will open season at home for third straight year
Lionel Messi won't be coming to Austin in 2024, but for the third straight season, Austin FC will open the year at home.
Austin FC will welcome Minnesota to Q2 Stadium Feb. 24 to kick off its fourth MLS season.
Not surprisingly, considering the warm climate here, El Tree will play five of its first seven matches at home.
Following a trip to Seattle March 2, Austin FC hosts St. Louis, Philadelphia and Dallas during the month of March and welcomes San Jose the first week of April.
It will be the club’s first meeting with Philadelphia.
El Tree will also play NYCFC for the first time July 6 at Q2 Stadium.
Austin FC plays three times at home in both May and July.
Strangely, between July 20 and Sept. 21 it only plays at Q2 Stadium once, though part of that is due to the Leagues Cup in August.
Austin FC also ends the season at home Oct. 19 vs. Colorado.
From the Eastern Conference, it faces Charlotte, Toronto, Nashville and Orlando in addition to Philadelphia and NYCFC.
It faces Texas rivals Houston and Dallas three times each.
Austin FC had a little bit of bad luck with potentially facing Messi as it played Inter Miami the past two seasons, just missing his arrival in late July when it traveled to Miami three weeks earlier.
This article originally appeared on Austin American-Statesman: Austin FC misses Messi on 2024 schedule
