Major League Soccer announced Thursday their decision to suspend the 2020 season indefinitely in response to the global Covid-19 outbreak. Sports Illustrated‘s Grant Wahl was the first to report the story, with MLS later issuing the following statement:
Major League Soccer Suspends Season for 30 Days pic.twitter.com/P0HEPmsnkx
— Major League Soccer (@MLS) March 12, 2020
MLS joins the NBA as the second major American sports league to put their season on hold in response to the spread of the coronavirus.
Nashville SC was set to play Toronto FC on the road this weekend, after going winless in their first two matches. The 30 day suspension will last until April 11 (assuming no additional time is missed), which includes the following scheduled matches:
MLS has made no official announcement on how the remainder of the season will be rescheduled, but Steven Goff of the Washington Post reported that the season may be shifted back a month:
Concacaf also announced the suspension of the Concacaf Champions League with immediate effect. MLS’s LAFC were set to take on Liga MX side Cruz Azul on Thursday night in Los Angeles.
The USL Championship announced a 30 day suspension as well.
Nashville SC will hold their players out of training through Sunday, at which point the club will evaluate their options. With at least 30 days until their next match, and the possibility for the league to remain on hold for longer, it’s expected that the team will try to maintain as normal of a training schedule as possible.
UPDATED MARCH 19: Major League Soccer will suspend the league at least until May 10, following the latest guidelines from the CDC to postpone gatherings of 50 people or more.
Speedway Soccer will continue to update this story as it develops.
