Sporting's CONCACAF Champions League match dates released

Sporting Kansas City has the dates for the group stage of the CONCACAF Champions League and will start out with two matches on the road.

First, Sporting will travel to Nicaragua to play Real Esteli on August 7 at 9 pm central time in the first match of the group stage. Then, Sporting will head to Honduras on August 27th to play CD Olimpia at 9 pm central time.

Sporting will then host the final two matches of the group stage. Real Esteli will visit Sporting Park on September 27th and CD Olimpia will come to Kansas City on October 23rd. Both of those matches are at 7 pm central.

This schedule can be good for Sporting if they do well in the first two matches. If they get a win in Nicaragua and a draw or even a win in Honduras that would set them up very nicely to use their two home games to clinch the group. However, if Sporting doesn't do well in the first two games then they may be fighting for the group in the two home matches. A stress-free fourth matchday is what Sporting should strive for in the group stage.

Here is the schedule for the group.

Tickets will go on sale for the two Sporting KC home matches next Wednesday, July 10. If Sporting advances past the group stage, the quarterfinals will begin next March.