Beckham´s Galaxy visit Seattle for MLS 2011 opener

English star midfielder Davis Beckham and the Los Angeles Galaxy will visit the Seattle Sounders on March 15 in the opening game of the 2011 Major League Soccer season, the US-based league said Monday.

The 16th MLS season will feature a record 18 clubs, with expansion teams in Portland and Vancouver, which becomes the second Canadian squad in MLS after Toronto. A third Canadian club, Montreal, will begin operations in 2012.

The Galaxy eliminated the Sounders from last season’s MLS playoffs.

Beckham, who had said he was not planning on playing outside of MLS during the off-season, revealed Sunday that he does intend to play in Europe before MLS teams gather for pre-season workouts, although not at AC Milan, his loan home the past two MLS off-seasons.

Each MLS team will play 34 matches in a new balanced schedule format with home and road contests against each league foe.

The Vancouver Whitecaps begin their debut season at home against Toronto on March 19 while the Portland Timbers open at defending MLS champion Colorado on March 19 and make their home debut April 14 against Chicago.

Sporting Kansas City, the rebranded Kansas City Wizards club, will spend several weeks on the road before debuting in their new home venue June 9 against Chicago.