As part of its 25th season celebration, Major League Soccer is shining a light on where it all began: the league's inaugural match on April 6, 1996.
MLS is activating across its platforms throughout the day on Monday with a suite of throwback content, inviting clubs, players, and fans alike to come together to relive some of their favorite memories of the sport.
MLS will be airing the April 6, 1996 match featuring DC United vs. San Jose Clash on the league's Facebook, YouTube, and Twitter channels. Following the inaugural broadcast, the action will shift to ESPN2 where an 8 hour marathon of classic MLS games will air from 5 p.m.-1 a.m. CT.
The day will additionally feature a collection of classic matches across ESPN+, including two involving the Chicago Fire. The first is a 2008 playoff match against the Columbus Crew, and the second is a 2000 Eastern Conference semifinal matchup vs. the MetroStars in which the Fire claimed a 3-2 victory with Ante Razov scoring the winning goal in the 88th minute.
MLS invites all fans to use #MLSin96 to share their memories of the league across social media. In addition, MLS has launched a new Instagram account,
, to give supporters a nostalgic look back at the beginning.
For Chicago fans looking for a local connection to MLS' inaugural match, future Fire coach Bob Bradley served as assistant coach for the Bruce Arena-led DC United. Club legend Jesse Marsch was on the bench for DC United but did not appear in the match.
For more on all of MLS' anniversary activations, visit MLSsocccer.com.
