Minnesota United begins training for the 2022 MLS season on Tuesday indoors in Blaine and will train in Orlando and Portland outside on grass before its Feb. 26 opener at Philadelphia.

The Loons will play private friendlies in Florida against Chicago on Jan. 29 and Orlando City on Feb. 3 before they return home to the National Sports Center for a week.

They then will play three games in the Portland Timbers' four-team, round-robin competition in mid-February before the regular season opens a week earlier than usual because of November's World Cup in Qatar.

The Loons last played in a 3-1 loss at Portland in the MLS Cup playoffs' first-round game Nov. 21.

Starters Michael Boxall and Robin Lod will not join their teammates to open training. Boxall's New Zealand national team plays a World Cup qualifier Feb. 1 against Uzbekistan. Lod had military duty at home in Finland and will take some time with his family before returning to Minnesota.

The Loons also are waiting on newly signed South African forward Bongokuhle Hlongwane's immigration paperwork. International players Adrien Hunou and Emanuel Reynoso have been delayed by COVID-19 issues when players reported over the weekend for physicals.