A PITCH CALLED HOME

Soccer writer Kevin Baxter offers a primer on the 17 soccer-specific stadiums in Major League Soccer that will be in use this season.

Audi Field HOME TO D.C. UNITED

Location: Washington, D.C. Opens: July 2018 Capacity: 20,000 Cost: $195 million This summer’s scheduled opening of the state-ofthe-art stadium near Nationals Park will end United’s 14-year quest to open a soccer-specific stadium.

Banc of California Stadium HOME TO L.A. FOOTBALL CLUB

Location: Exposition Park Opened: April 29, 2018 Capacity: 22,000 Cost: $350 million The most expensive soccer-specific stadium in MLS history is also the first open-air professional sports venue built in the city of Los Angeles since Dodger Stadium opened in 1962.

Children’s Mercy Park HOME TO SPORTING KANSAS CITY

Location: Kansas City, Kan. Opened: 2011 Capacity: 18,467 Cost: $200 million The 2013 MLS Cup final played here was the longest and coldest — SKC beat Real Salt Lake in a 10-round penalty-kick shootout in 18-degree temperatures.

Orlando City Stadium HOME TO ORLANDO CITY SOCCER CLUB

Location: Orlando, Fla. Opened: 2017 Capacity: 25,500 Cost: $155 million To honor victims of the 2016 Pulse Nightclub shooting in Orlando, 49 seats in the lower bowl were painted in the colors of the LGBTQ rainbow f lag.

Rio Tinto Stadium HOME TO REAL SALT LAKE

Location: Sandy, Utah Opened: 2008 Capacity: 20,213 Cost: $110 million Salt Lake was awarded a franchise during the first wave of MLS expansion in 2005 and the team’s success went a long way toward ensuring the league’s survival, according to Commissioner Don Garber.

Talen Energy Stadium HOME TO PHILADELPHIA UNION

Location: Chester, Pa. Opened: 2010 Capacity: 18,500 Cost: $120 million Former Galaxy player and assistant coach Pat Noonan, then with the Seattle Sounders, scored the first goal in this stadium’s history.

BBVA Compass Stadium HOME TO HOUSTON DYNAMO

Location: Houston Opened: 2012 Capacity: 22,039 Cost: $95 million Oliver Luck, a former NFL quarterback and the father of the Indianapolis Colts’ Andrew Luck, secured the financing for the stadium in his role as the first president and general manager of the Dynamo.

Dick’s Sporting Goods Park HOME TO COLORADO RAPIDS

Location: Commerce City, Colo. Opened: 2007 Capacity: 18,061 Cost: $64.5 million At 5,200 feet above sea level, DSG Park is the highest-altitude stadium in MLS.

Providence Park HOME TO PORTLAND TIMBERS

Location: Portland, Ore. Opened: 1926 Capacity: 21,144 Cost: $502,000 Oldest stadium had $36M renovation in 2010, hosted minor league baseball and college football, two women’s World Cups and the NWSL’s Portland Thorns.

Saputo Stadium HOME TO MONTREAL IMPACT

Location: Montreal Opened: 2008 Capacity: 20,801 Cost: $47 million (Canadian) Built on the site of the practice track and field facility for the 1976 Olympics, Saputo’s capacity makes it Canada’s second-largest soccer-specific stadium. At 9,240 square yards, it has the largest field in MLS.

Toyota Park HOME TO CHICAGO FIRE

Location: Bridgeview, Ill. Opened: 2006 Capacity: 20,000 Cost: $98 million Zlatan Ibrahimovic’s first road game with the Galaxy drew a stadium-record crowd of 21,915 fans this month despite a sub-freezing wind chill.

Avaya Stadium HOME TO SAN JOSE EARTHQUAKES

Location: San Jose Opened: 2015 Capacity: 18,000 Cost: $100 million The team’s third permanent Silicon Valley home, adjacent to San Jose Airport, houses what is reputed to be the largest outdoor bar in North America.

BMO Field HOME TO TORONTO FOOTBALL CLUB

Location: Toronto, Canada Opened: 2007 Capacity: 30,000 Cost: $62.9 million (Canadian) BMO Field is the fifth stadium built on the same site. Among the others was Exhibition Stadium, once home to the CFL’s Argonauts and baseball’s Toronto Blue Jays.

Mapfre Stadium HOME TO COLUMBUS CREW SOCCER CLUB

Location: Columbus, Ohio Opened: 1999 Capacity: 19,968 Cost: $28.5 million The league’s first soccer-specific stadium ushered in an important trend for MLS. The cozy venue is a favorite spot for the U.S. men’s national team.

Red Bull Arena HOME TO NEW YORK RED BULLS

Location: Harrison, N.J. Opened: 2010 Capacity: 25,000 Cost: $200 million In 2016, thousands of Peruvian Americans from New Jersey and Pennsylvania f locked to Red Bull Arena to vote in the Peruvian general election.

StubHub Center HOME TO GALAXY

Location: Carson Opened: 2003 Capacity: 27,000 Cost: $87 million The Galaxy’s home — currently shared with the NFL’s Chargers — has hosted a record six MLS Cup finals as well as the 2003 women’s World Cup final. It is the largest soccer-specific stadium in MLS.

Toyota Stadium HOME TO FOOTBALL CLUB DALLAS

Location: Frisco, Texas Opened: 2005 Capacity: 20,500 Cost: $80 million The National Soccer Hall of Fame is scheduled to move into its new home at Toyota Stadium this fall.