Major League Soccer announced on Wednesday June 10, 2020 it will resume play July 8, 2020 with a 26-team tournament taking place at the Disney World complex in Orlando, Florida.
The return follows a newly ratified collective bargaining agreement between the league and its players June 3, 2020 providing labor peace through 2025.
MLS Commissioner Don Garber released a statement about the decision:
"The opportunity to have all 26 clubs in a controlled environment enables us to help protect the health of our players, coaches and staff as we return to play. We also recognize that the death of George Floyd and others has focused our country on issues of racial injustice, inequality and violence against black men and women. Together with our owners, players and staff, the League and its clubs are deeply committed to creating meaningful and impactful programs to address these issues that have plagued our society for far too long."
Here's a closer look at the "MLS is Back Tournament" format:
Dates: July 8-Aug. 11
54 matches (39 in group stage; 15 in knockout rounds)
26 total matchdays
Six groups (all contain four teams except one Eastern Conference group with six)
Orlando City, Atlanta United, Los Angeles FC, Seattle Sounders, Toronto FC and Real Salt Lake will serve as the top seeds
Tournament draw will take place June 11 at 3:30 p.m. ET.
The top two teams in each pool along with the top four third-place finishers will advance to the knockout rounds. Nashville SC will move to the East for tournament purposes.
All games will count toward the 2020 regular-season standings, and the tournament champion will earn a berth in the 2021 CONCACAF Champions League.
After the tournament, MLS plans to resume the 2020 campaign with the goal of crowning a champion as normal. A schedule for the remainder of the year will be released at a later date.
On March 12, MLS added its name to the list of sports leagues that suspended operations amid the coronavirus pandemic. At the time, Garber initiated a 30-day hiatus. The league also placed a moratorium on team activities through March 15 that was extended until individual workouts were cleared May 6.
In a statement when he announced the league was being suspended, Garber said:
"Our clubs were united today in the decision to temporarily suspend our season—based on the advice and guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC), and other public health authorities, and in the best interest of our fans, players, officials and employees. We'd like to thank our fans for their continued support during this challenging time."
On March 19, MLS announced it would continue to postpone events for the next eight weeks per CDC guidelines, though it remained committed to playing a full season in 2020.
The league was forced to halt operations only two weeks into the season. At the time of the hiatus, Atlanta United (2-0) was leading the Eastern Conference with six points. Sporting Kansas City, Minnesota United FC, FC Dallas and the Colorado Rapids were all tied for first place in the Western Conference with two wins and six points apiece.
The Montreal Impact's Maximiliano Urruti had the league lead in goals (3), while NYCFC keeper Sean Johnson topped MLS in saves (13 on 15 shots).
"This is a case where we are all in this together, trying to do everything we can as a club and a society to keep the coronavirus curve as flat as we can," Atlanta president Darren Eales said after the league suspended operations. "They are following the guidelines the league has given us; and understand what we all have to do to keep ourselves and our families safe and healthy."
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