Fire to open 2008 season March 29 at Real Salt Lake

The Chicago Fire announced Thursday it will play 21 nationally televised games this season, its 11th in Major League Soccer.

The Fire will open on the road March 29 at Real Salt Lake. The Fire's home opener is April 3 against the New England Revolution, the team that eliminated the Fire from the MLS playoffs.

David Beckham, Landon Donovan and the Los Angeles Galaxy will visit Toyota Park on Sept. 25 in a game to be seen on ESPN2, one of six Fire games scheduled for that network.

The other nationally televised games will be on TeleFutura, HDNet or Fox Soccer Channel. The team did not release its local television schedule.

The Fire will wrap up the 30-game regular season by hosting New York on Oct. 23, with the MLS Cup scheduled for Nov. 23.

Single-game tickets will go on sale at 10 a.m. March 6, with the exception of the Galaxy game. Tickets for the Galaxy game are available only through season-ticket plans and group ticket packages.

For more information, go to www.chicago-fire.com.

-- Orrin Schwarz

Chicago Fire schedule

Date Opponent Time

March 29 at Real Salt Lake 5 p.m.

April 3 NEW ENGLAND 7:30 p.m.

April 12 at San Jose 3:30 p.m.

April 20 Kansas City 2 p.m.

April 26 Colorado 7:30 p.m.

May 3 at New England 6:30 p.m.

May 8 at D.C. United 6:30 p.m.

May 17 Houston 7:30 p.m.

May 25 at New York 2 p.m.

June 7 D.C. United 7:30 p.m.

June 15 at FC Dallas 2 p.m.

June 19 at Chivas USA 9:30 p.m.

June 28 San Jose 7:30 p.m.

July 5 at Columbus 7 p.m.

July 12 Toronto FC 7:30 p.m.

July 19 Real Salt Lake 7:30 p.m.

July 27 at Kansas City 7 p.m.

Aug. 2 Chivas USA 7:30 p.m.

Aug 9 at New England 6:30 p.m.

Aug. 16 D.C. United 7:30 p.m.

Aug. 21 at Los Angeles 9:30 p.m.

Aug. 31 at Houston 6 p.m.

Sept. 6 New York 7:30 p.m.

Sept. 14 at Colorado 2 p.m.

Sept. 21 FC Dallas 2 p.m.

Sept. 25 Los Angeles 8 p.m.

Oct. 5 at Kansas City 2 p.m.

Oct. 12 Columbus 2 p.m.

Oct. 18 at Toronto FC 2:30 p.m.

Oct. 23 vs. New York 8 p.m.