The Colorado Rapids will head south of the border to begin preparations for the 2023 campaign.
On Thursday, the Rapids announced their six-game preseason schedule, half of which will be played in Santiago de Querétaro, Mexico, while the other half will held in Orlando, Fla.
Notably while in Mexico, Colorado will stay and train in the city of just over 1 million people, which has an altitude of slightly higher than Denver (5,971 feet) and will include friendlies against Liga MX side Querétaro FC as well as Mexican second-division sides Club Celaya FC and CD Mineros de Zacatecas.
Colorado players will report for a first-day check-in Friday and starting the next day at Dick’s Sporting Goods Park, will have physicals and fitness testing. The group will remain in Commerce City until Jan. 12, when they will fly to Mexico for the first leg of preseason.
In Mexico, Colorado will train at Querétaro for a week until facing off against Celaya on Jan. 19, Zacatecas on Jan. 24 and Querétaro on Jan 29. Querétetaro is the same club that was involved in against fellow Liga MX side Atlas last March.
A club spokesperson told The Post Thursday that the games in Mexico will not be available for broadcasting or streaming.
The second half of preseason will be played at Exploria Stadium in Orlando. The Rapids will face Orlando City Feb. 11, Miami FC of the USL on Feb. 15 and will close against Philadelphia Union Feb. 18. The MLS regular-season will start the following weekend as Colorado will travel to play the Seattle Sounders Feb. 25.
FC Cincinnati acquires Switchbacks defender
Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC scored again. On Thursday, left back Isaiah Foster went from a once-trialist to the newest member of MLS. FC Cincinnati acquired the 19-year-old Bethesda, Md., native on a one-year deal through 2024 with two option years for an undisclosed fee, which included a sell-on clause. Cincinnati traded $50,000 in 2023 GAM to D.C. United to earn the top spot on the waiver order to make the move official.
It marked the first time in club history that a non-Rapids player has been transferred to an MLS team. In October, the team sold striker Hadji Barry to Egyptian Premier League side Future FC for of $1 million, a USL Championship record.
The Switchbacks had a memorable 2022 campaign, but fell in the USL Western Conference Championship.
Want more sports news? Sign up for the Sports Omelette to get all our analysis on Denver’s teams.
