Toronto FC will open the 2011 Major League Soccer season on the road against expansion team Vancouver Whitecaps FC in one of the marquee matches of the league’s opening weekend. The teams will meet at Empire Field in Vancouver on Saturday, March 19. It will be the first time two Canadian clubs have faced each other in MLS.

Following the “First Kick” in Vancouver, Toronto will play their home opener at BMO Field on Saturday, March 26 against another expansion team, Portland Timbers. The kick off times for both matches will be announced at a later date.

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It will be the third year in a row that Toronto FC has hosted an expansion team in the club’s Home Opener. Last season, Dwayne De Rosario scored two goals in a 2-1 win against Philadelphia Union, and in 2009 Seattle Sounders won 2-0 at BMO Field.

Major League Soccer announced Monday the 2011 Home Openers for all 18 clubs. The league’s 16th season will kick off on Tuesday, March 15, 2011 when Seattle Sounders FC host Los Angeles Galaxy at 9:30 p.m. ET.

All 18 clubs will take the field during the opening “First Kick” week as they embark on a 34-game, balanced regular season in which every club will face each of the other twice – once at home, once on the road. Ten teams will qualify for the MLS Cup Playoffs.

The full MLS schedule for 2011 will be announced in the new year.