Will Major League Soccer’s expansion timing finally be revealed?

Major League Soccer Commissioner Don Garber is expected to discuss the league’s timeline for expansion during his annual State of the League address on Friday.

MLS said in a news advisory that the commissioner “will not be announcing any new expansion teams, but he will provide insight into the plans for the process and timeline for our next round of expansion.” Garber will give the address from Toronto, site of this weekend’s MLS Cup.

Sacramento Republic FC and its supporters have been waiting months for expansion news from MLS. Garber told the team and city during a visit here in April that Republic FC was at the top of the list for potential expansion cities, saying the club had “been able to check the boxes that are required” to join the nation’s premier professional soccer league.

MLS has 24 teams either playing or preparing to enter the league. Garber has said the league will expand to 28 teams.

Sacramento is considered a top contender, along with St. Louis, for one of the final four spots. But many other cities have jumped into the mix in recent months, including Cincinnati, Detroit, Nashville, Raleigh, N.C., the Tampa Bay area, San Diego, San Antonio and Austin, Texas.

This story was originally published December 8, 2016 at 10:32 AM with the headline "Will Major League Soccer’s expansion timing finally be revealed?."