11th Season Overall and Fourth in MLS NEXT Pro features both Preseason and April 6 Reg. Season Matches in St. George, UT;
Head Coach Mark Lowry and Staff Return for Second Full Campaign
HERRIMAN, Utah (Monday, January 27, 2025) - In conjunction with MLS NEXT Pro, today Real Monarchs SLC unveil its 2025 season schedule, the team’s 11th season overall and the fourth campaign since transitioning from the USL Championship prior to 2022, MLS NEXT Pro's inaugural year.
Real Salt Lake’s MLS NEXT Pro affiliate, Real Monarchs, eye its first postseason appearance since joining the league, after finishing last year on the outside looking in, one tiebreaker away from clinching its first berth on decision day. Monarchs Head Coach Mark Lowry’s side returns to action on Saturday, March 15 at Portland Timbers 2. All 28 of the Monarchs matches will be made available via broadcast through MLSNEXTPro.com or bundled into the MLS Season Pass on Apple TV, with broadcast designations will be made at a later date.
Lowry’s side - kicking off its second full season with the acclaimed former El Paso and Indy Eleven boss at the helm - will call Zions Bank Stadium home for its first game in the Beehive State against Rocky Mountain Cup rival Colorado Rapids 2 on Sunday, March 23, in Herriman. After the remainder of March sees a mix of bye weeks and potential holds for Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup participation, the Monarchs’ home game slated for Sunday, April 6 against Ventura County FC will take place in St. George, Utah, at Greater Zion Stadium on the campus of Utah Tech. The remaining 11 games on its home schedule will be played at the first-team’s home, America First Field, due to Zions Bank Stadium resurfacing and other logistical matters.
Details on Real Monarchs’ Feb. 13-16 preseason trip to St. George, along with a preseason scrimmage on Sunday, Feb. 16, as well as the team’s April 6 MLSNP reg. Season contest on Sun., April 6, will follow, in coordination with the hosts. Utah Tech.
The Monarchs will host the league’s “Decision Day” for the third time in its four-year history (2023 at Portland), as 28 of the league's 29 clubs play almost simultaneously, with the Western Conference slate kicking off at 2 p.m. MT, the Monarchs welcoming Vancouver Whitecaps FC 2.
After all 406 matches are played throughout the U.S. and Canada during the 2025 campaign, postseason play returns, and for the third consecutive year, the higher seeds engage in the “Pick-Your-Opponent” process. The unique MLSNP Pick-Your-Opponent mechanism features a format where the top 4 seeds in each Conference select their first-round foe from the pool of qualifiers which did not secure home-field advantage (seeds 5-8), with the mechanism again repeating itself in the MLSNP second round, as the highest remaining seed in each conference selects from the two remaining teams.
Four rounds of 15 single-elimination matches over the course of four consecutive weekends make up the 2025 MLS NEXT Pro Cup Playoffs starting on October 17 with the MLS NEXT Pro Cup champion being crowned on the weekend of November 7th.
2025 – MLS NEXT PRO REGULAR SEASON SCHEDULE / KEY DATES (as of 27 January 2025)
(all times MT; HOME GAMES IN BOLD; PRESEASON / BYE WEEKS ITALICIZED)
ALL SUBJECT TO CHANGE; visit www.rsl.com/monarchs/ or www.mlsnextpro.com for additional info / details)
DAY / DATE OPPONENT TIME (MT); NOTE
SAT 03/15/2025 at Portland Timbers 2 8:30p; Opened 2024 vs Portland (0-0 5:4 draw)
SUN 03/23/2025 COLORADO RAPIDS 2 6:00p Zions Bank Stadium; Split last years meetings 1-1-0
SAT 03/22/2025 REAL MONARCHS BYE
SAT 03/29/2025 REAL MONARCHS BYE
SUN 04/06/2025 VENTURA COUNTY FC 5:30p Greater Zion Stadium in St. George; 49’ CG on 2024 Decision Day kept Monarchs out of postseason
THU 04/10/2025 at The Town FC 6:00p; 1-1 3:4 result in lone visit to TTFC during 2024 campaign
WED 04/23/2025 LAFC 2 6:30p America First Field; One of six teams the Monarchs face three times during the 2025 campaign
FRI 05/02/2025 at Vancouver Whitecaps FC 2 2:00p; Highest scoring match of 2024 season (3-5)
SAT 05/10/2025 REAL MONARCHS BYE
SUN 05/18/2025 at Colorado Rapids 2 2:30p; Owen Anderson 2 minute brace (80’ & 81’) to propel Monarchs past Rapids 2-1
SAT 05/24/2025 REAL MONARCHS BYE
WED 05/28/2025 PORTLAND TIMBERS 2 6:30p America First Field; Unbeaten against Portland in 2024 (1-0-2, 7pts)
SAT 05/31/2025 REAL MONARCHS BYE
SUN 06/01/2025 at Ventura County FC 8:00p; Looking for first win at VCFC in MLSNP era
SAT 06/07/2025 REAL MONARCHS BYE
WED 06/11/2025 TACOMA DEFIANCE 7:30p America First Field; 2-1 win ignited 2024 playoff push
SUN 06/15/2025 HOUSTON DYNAMO 2 7:30p America First Field; 1-2 loss at home gave Houston decision day tiebreaker keeping Monarchs home
SAT 06/21/2025 REAL MONARCHS BYE
SUN 06/29/2025 at Vancouver Whitecaps FC 2 2:00p; Striker Ilijah Paul wins shootout between the sticks 9:8 in final 2024 meeting
SUN 07/06/2025 ST. LOUIS CITY 2 7:30p; America First Field; Welcoming STL to Utah for first time since June 2023
SUN 07/13/2025 at Minnesota United FC 2 2:00p; 4 points between two meetings in 2024
THU 07/17/2025 at Tacoma Defiance 8:00p; Last visit included one of five Monarchs shootout wins last season
SUN 07/20/2025 AUSTIN FC II 7:30p America First Field; 6-0 agg last season including dominate 4-0 win at America First Field
SUN 07/27/2025 THE TOWN FC 7:30p America First Field; Last loss to TTFC at home, June 2022
SAT 08/02/2025 at Portland Timbers 2 9:00p; One of six teams Monarchs play 3 times in 2025
SAT 08/09/2025 at Houston Dynamo 2 8:00p; First time visiting Houston since May 2023
SUN 08/17/2025 LAFC 2 7:30p America First Feld; Orange ball game in 2-3 loss last season
SUN 08/24/2025 MINNESOTA UNITED FC 2 7:30p America First Field; 4 points between two meetings last season (1-0-1)
WED 08/27/2025 at The Town FC 6:00p; Visit TTFC during two of the three regular season matchups
SUN 08/31/2025 TACOMA DEFIANCE 7:30p America First Field; Matthew Bell’s fourth and final goal with Real Monarchs during 2024 campaign before being loaned to Tusla FC
SAT 09/06/2025 at Sporting KC II 6:30p; First time returning to SKC since 1-0 win in May 2023
SUN 09/14/2025 VENTURA COUNTY FC 7:30p at America First Field;
FRI 09/19/2025 at LAFC 2 8:00p; One of three Will Mackay clean sheets from last season
SAT 09/27/2025 at North Texas FC 6:30p; Visiting shield winner and champs at Choctaw Stadium
SUN 10/05/2025 VANCOUVER WHITECAPS FC 2 2:00p at America First Field;Third decision day hosting during four year MLSNP tenure
2025 MLSNP PLAYOFF DATES (subject to change)
FRI 10/17/2025 PLAYOFF OPENING WEEKEND
SAT 11/07/2025 MLS NEXT PRO CUP WEEKEND
Finishing the 2024 campaign with 25 points in 13 matches, the fifth-best team in league during that span, Monarchs Head Coach Mark Lowry looks to build upon the positive momentum to make strides towards the postseason. With a roster bolstered by several RSL Academy homegrowns, the Monarchs represent a key developmental step matriculating from the Academy to the Utah Club’s Major League Soccer-based first team, providing fans with an aligned, quality product on the pitch.
Tickets will be available at the door at the selected matchday venue. For more Real Monarchs information visit https://www.rsl.com/monarchs/.
