Defending champions LA Galaxy kick off the 2015 Major League Soccer season on Friday at the StubHub Center against Chicago Fire, the start of a new term which sees two new clubs enter the division.

Newcomers Orlando City and New York City FC face off against each other on Sunday for the start of their maiden MLS campaigns, with each side looking to make an early impact.

With 20 teams competing in 2015, MLS is bigger than ever, and there will be some appropriately world-class talent on show, with the likes of Kaka and David Villa set to participate from the word go.

Here is the full schedule for Matchday 1 of action in MLS 2015:

A full season fixture list can be found at MLSsoccer.com, with live streaming available via ESPN Player, Fox Sports Go, Univision Deportes and Sky Go.

A key absentee will be Landon Donovan, MLS' most successful ever player, and a US soccer legend per ESPN's Paul Carr, the 33-year-old having retired after his final Galaxy triumph last season:

Not only will he be missed by his LA teammates and coach Bruce Arena, but by the entire league in which he starred for so long.

However, Galaxy still have star forward Robbie Keane on their books—the Irishman netted 19 times last season per MLS—and will welcome Liverpool and England legend Steven Gerrard in July, with three months of the regular season remaining.

Another Premier League star, Frank Lampard, is also set to join up with New York City FC come the end of the English season, adding genuine world-class quality to the new outfit.

USMNT stars Michael Bradley, Jozy Altidore and DaMarcus Beasley will all be looking to make an impact in the coming season, and they are included in the list of designated players, per MLS:

LA Galaxy are the favourites to lift a sixth MLS Cup this term, and despite losing Donovan and Marcelo Sarvas, they are still a very strong outfit who will be a match for anyone in 2015.

Seattle Sounders are similarly fancied to certainly make it to the playoffs at the end of the year as they return as defending Supporters Shield winners.

Brazil star and former AC Milan and Real Madrid player Kaka will draw much attention as a key part of Orlando City's team, and the 32-year-old is clearly expecting a significant test in MLS, per CNN:

There's a lot of good players that could have another team in Europe but they chose to come here. I think it's a good moment to be in this league. In a few years, we will listen a lot about the MLS. 

Last season's league top-scorer, Bradley Wright-Phillips, will be looking to match his contribution from last year when he bagged 27 goals as New York Red Bulls reached the conference final.

However, the New York outfit will be relying heavily on the 29-year-old Englishman, Thierry Henry having departed MLS last season, and it remains to be seen whether he can take up the mantle of being the go-to man.

There is set to be huge quality on show in this year's MLS, with a number of top-class players from abroad and at home in all 20 sides.

A quick start could be key for building momentum early in the season, and this weekend's matches are sure to be full of action and incident as play gets underway ahead of an exciting season.

Read more MLS news on BleacherReport.com

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