2013 looks set to be one of the busiest in memory for everyone in the North American soccer scene.
The soccer calendar is stuffed full of events and matches. The crucial "Hexagonal" World Cup qualifiers for the US national team are the most prominent, but there is also the 18th MLS season that kicks off in March, the U-20 World Cup in Turkey in June, and the launch of a brand new women's league.
Here's a rundown of the 2013 North American soccer calendar, with a few nods to the best of the global game. (NOTE: Dates and events are subject to change.)
Can Tijuana's Yanks repeat as Liga MX champions?
January 4: Liga MX Clausura 2013 season opens
January 7: FIFA Ballon d’Or announced
January 11-15: MLS Combine, Fort Lauderdale, Florida
January 17: MLS SuperDraft, Indianapolis, Indiana
January 18 – March 1: MLS Preseason
- Jan 29 – Feb 8: The Desert Friendlies (Tucson) — COL, HOU, NE, POR, SJ, SEA, SKC, FC Tucson
- Feb 9 – Feb 23: Disney Pro Soccer Classic (Orlando) — CLB, DC, MTL, PHI, SKC, TOR, Orlando City, Tampa Bay
- Feb 13 – Feb 23: Desert Diamond Cup (Tucson) — NE, NY, RSL, SEA
- Feb 16 – Feb 23: Carolina Challenge Cup — CHI, HOU, VAN, Charleston
- Feb 17 – Feb 23: Portland Timbers Tournament — DAL, POR, SJ, AIK
Portland's Bright Dike is hoping for a call up from Nigeria for the Cup of Nations.
January 18-27: Copa Centroamericana, Costa Rica
January 19 – February 10: Africa Cup of Nations, South Africa
January 23: 2013 Copa Libertadores begins
January 26: International friendly
- Canada vs. Denmark, Tucson, Arizona
January 29: International friendly
- USA vs. Canada, Houston, Texas
January 30: International friendly
- Mexico-Denmark, Glendale, Arizona
February 6: 2014 World Cup qualifying
- Honduras-USA, San Pedro Sula, Honduras
- Mexico-Jamaica, Mexico City, Mexico
- Panama-Costa Rica, Panama City, Panama
Can Jurgen Klinsmann qualify the USMNT into the 2014 World Cup?
February 9: International Friendly
- US women’s national team vs. Scotland, Jacksonville, Florida
February 13: International Friendly
- US women’s national team vs. Scotland, Nashville, Tennessee
February 18 – March 2: CONCACAF U-20 Championship, Puebla, Mexico
March 2-3: MLS season opens
March 3: Real Madrid vs. Barcelona, Madrid, Spain
March 5: 2012-13 CONCACAF Champions League quarterfinals, 1st leg
- Houston Dynamo-Santos Laguna, Houston, Texas
March 6: 2012-13 CONCACAF Champions League quarterfinals, 1st leg
- Tigres-Seattle Sounders, Monterrey, Mexico
How will Fredy Montero and the Sounders fare in the CCL knockout stage?
March 7: 2012-13 CONCACAF Champions League quarterfinals, 1st leg
- Herediano-LA Galaxy, Heredia, Costa Rica
March 8-14: Algarve Cup, Portugal
- US women’s national team participating
March 12: 2012-13 CONCACAF Champions League quarterfinals, 2nd leg
- Seattle Sounders-Tigres, Seattle, Washington
March 13: 2012-13 CONCACAF Champions League quarterfinals, 2nd leg
- Santos Laguna-Houston Dynamo, Torreon, Mexico
- LA Galaxy-Herediano, Carson, California
March 22: 2014 World Cup qualifying
- USA-Costa Rica, location TBD
- Honduras-Mexico, San Pedro Sula, Honduras
- Jamaica-Panama, Kingston, Jamaica
The US beat Mexico in their last visit to the Estadio Azteca. Can they do it again?
March 26: 2014 World Cup qualifying
- Mexico-USA, Mexico City, Mexico
- Costa Rica-Jamaica, location TBD
- Panama-Honduras, Panama City, Panama
April: NASL and USL PRO open seasons
April: National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL) opens inaugural season
April 2-4: 2012-13 CONCACAF Champions League semifinals, 1st leg
April 5: International Friendly
- US women’s national team vs. Germany, location TBD
April 6-18: CONCACAF U-17 Championship, Panama
April 9-11: 2012-13 CONCACAF Champions League semifinals, 2nd leg
April 24: 2012-13 CONCACAF Champions League final, 1st leg
May: US Open Cup begins for non-MLS teams (if 2012 scheduling holds)
May 1: 2012-13 CONCACAF Champions League final, 2nd leg
Where will Tim Howard and Everton finish in the EPL standings when all is said and done?
May 19: Final matchday of the English Premier League season
May 25: 2013 UEFA Champions League final, London, United Kingdom
June: MLS teams enter US Open Cup in Round of 16 (if 2012 scheduling holds)
June 4: 2014 World Cup qualifying
- Jamaica-Mexico, Kingston, Jamaica
June 7: 2014 World Cup qualifying
- Jamaica-USA, Kingston, Jamaica
- Costa Rica-Honduras, location TBD
- Panama-Mexico, Panama City, Panama
June 11: 2014 World Cup qualifying
- USA-Panama, location TBD
- Honduras-Jamaica, Tegucigalpa, Honduras
- Mexico-Costa Rica, Mexico City, Mexico
June 15-30: FIFA Confederations Cup, Brazil
June 18: 2014 World Cup qualifying
- USA-Honduras, location TBD
- Costa Rica-Panama, location TBD
June 21 – July 13: FIFA U-20 World Cup, Turkey
July 7-28: CONCACAF Gold Cup, USA
Late July: AT&T MLS All-Star Game
Late July: 2013-14 CONCACAF Champions League begins
Late July: 2013 Copa Libertadores final
August: US Open Cup final (if 2012 scheduling holds)
September 6: 2014 World Cup qualifying
- Costa Rica-USA, location TBD
- Mexico-Honduras, Mexico City, Mexico
- Panama-Jamaica, Panama City, Panama
The USMNT have not lost a home World Cup qualifier to Mexico since a 2-1 loss in Los Angeles in 1972.
September 10: 2014 World Cup qualifying
- USA-Mexico, location TBD
- Honduras-Panama, San Pedro Sula, Honduras
- Jamaica-Costa Rica, Kingston, Jamaica
September 18-28: FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup, Tahiti
October 11: 2014 World Cup qualifying
- USA-Jamaica, location TBD
- Mexico-Panama, Mexico City, Mexico
- Honduras-Costa Rica, San Pedro Sula, Honduras
October 15: 2014 World Cup qualifying
- Panama-USA, Panama City, Panama
- Costa Rica-Mexico, location TBD
- Jamaica-Honduras, Kingston, Jamaica
October 17 – November 8: FIFA U-17 World Cup, United Arab Emirates
November: MLS Playoffs
December: NCAA College Cup
- Dec. 6-8: Women’s, Cary, North Carolina
- Dec. 13-15: Men’s, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
December 6: Final draw for 2014 FIFA World Cup, Salvador de Bahia, Brazil
December 11-21: FIFA Club World Cup, Morocco
