New York, NY – Major League Soccer will have an unbalanced schedule in 2012 when the Montreal Impact become the league's 19th squad, said MLS Commissioner Don Garber on Thursday.
MLS will maintain the 34-match schedule used in 2011, when the league's 18 teams each played two matches against the other teams - one home and one away - only make changes to prevent the season from expanding to 36 fixtures.
"We will a have a 34-game schedule and it will be unbalanced," Garber said on a teleconference Thursday.
The format of the schedule in 2012 was not disclosed, but will guarantee teams will not play every other team twice.
Garber also announced MLS is considering allowing the team with the top record in the regular season to host the MLS Cup final. The final is currently hosted at a neutral site, although the Los Angeles Galaxy - who had the top record in MLS in 2011 - will be host of this season's final by coincidence.
The Galaxy host the Houston Dynamo on Nov. 20 at 9 p.m. (ET) at The Home Depot Center.
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