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New Mexico United’s upcoming six-month, 32-game journey may seem exhausting to some.

To others it’s invigorating.

The USL Championship announced its 2021 regular-season schedule Tuesday, one that places United in the seven-team Mountain Division. That means four games apiece against El Paso, Rio Grande Valley, Austin, San Antonio, Colorado Springs and Real Monarchs (Salt Lake City) with plenty of time spent traveling around Texas and other Southwest states.

But there’s an upside. After playing all 18 of last season’s matches outside of New Mexico because of the state’s coronavirus restrictions, United is scheduled to play half of this year’s schedule at Isotopes Park.

The club unleashed a barrage of social media posts talking up specific games Tuesday, featuring everyone from Albuquerque Mayor Tim Keller to United players, fans and various local celebrities. Still, an unsolicited tweet by United defender Kalen Ryden may have best expressed the day’s general sentiments.

Ryden’s post read in part, “We have home games. I repeat, WE. HAVE. HOME. GAMES!!!!!”

Owner/CEO Peter Trevisani agreed.

“We’re thrilled finally to kick a ball in a meaningful way in our home state for the first time in a year and a half,” he said. “… We can’t wait to get started.”

United’s home games are limited early in the season. NMU opens with two road matches before hosting Austin FC on May 15. Seven of the team’s first 11 games will be played on the road.

The preponderance of early road games is partly a matter of working around the Albuquerque Isotopes’ baseball schedule, which is also set to begin in May. But playing more home games later in the season could pay off for United if COVID-19 infection rates continue to decrease.

Bernalillo County’s current “Yellow” status allows outdoor sporting-event attendance at 25% of capacity, which amounts to roughly 3,100 fans at Isotopes Park. Attendance will increase to 50% of capacity if the county achieves “Green” status.

For the time being, United will make tickets available to just a few matches at a time based on COVID-safe protocols. More ticket information is available on the team’s website, newmexicoutd.com.

NM United 2021 Schedule

May 5 at Rio Grande Valley

May 8 at El Paso

May 15 Austin

May 21 at Colorado Springs

May 29 Loudoun

June 4 at Salt Lake City

June 12 Austin

June 16 San Antonio

June 25 at Colorado Springs

June 30 at Salt Lake City

July 3 at El Paso

July 9 Colorado Springs

July 12 Charleston

July 21 at San Antonio

July 24 El Paso

Aug. 1 at Tacoma

Aug. 14 El Paso

Aug. 18 Oakland

Aug. 22 at Austin

Aug. 28 at Phoenix

Sept. 4 Colorado Springs

Sept. 10 at Austin

Sept. 18 Salt Lake City

Sept. 22 Rio Grande Valley

Sept. 25 at San Antonio

Oct. 3 at Louisville

Oct. 6 Hartford

Oct. 9 Rio Grande Valley

Oct. 17 at San Diego

Oct. 20 San Antonio

Oct. 23 at Rio Grande Valley

Oct. 30 Salt Lake City

Game times TBA