Major League Soccer Regular Season to Resume on August 12

There is an exciting announcement from Major league Soccer. It is going to resume the regular season from August 12, Saturday in the home markets. MLS also announced that the playoff format is going to be with 18 teams (qualifying for the season). The final MLS cup will be played on December 12.

In the wake of the coronavirus outbreak, the league had halted the game in March. The regular MLS season is going to be resumed on August 12. Before the game, every single player will be tested for COVID-19 to contain the spread. They will be under monitoring throughout the season as a part of the coronavirus protocol.

Coronavirus protocols during the regular MLS Season.

The MLS players have remained healthy all through while playing a five-week tournament inside a Disney World bubble. At this point in time, the league is gearing up to resume its regular season which has in itself been a challenging experience for the Majors League baseball. The MLS, therefore, is planning to take extra precautions.

MLS has decided that it allows fans in the stadium, unlike the MLB. The league will return to the stadium to resume the regular season. It is slated to be completed by November 8, which would be followed by MLS Cup & the playoffs on December 12. Each of the teams will be playing 18 additional regular-season matches. Six games will be plates each of the three phases.

Talking about this new development, MLS Commissioner Don Garber said, “We understand getting back to play is going to have some challenges. We’re aware of those challenges. We are prepared for it. This definitely is not going to be easy. The league might have some issues that are going to disrupt us, might even force us to postpone games. We are aware of the need to be flexible.”

The MLS Regular Season 2020 Schedule.

The first phase of the MLS will begin through August 20 to August 23 and will continue till September 14. However, the first part of the game will be taken place on August 12, Wednesday between FC Dallas and Nashville SC in Frisco, Tex. Nashville SC was the only team that did not participate in the tournament because of many positive cases of coronavirus.

The MLS has announced that around 5,110 spectators at 20,000-capacity Toyota Stadium will be allowed during the season. Per the coronavirus safety protocols, every single person will have to wear masks and maintain social distancing. On the other hand, in the cities where according to the local safety guidelines, large social gathering is not allowed, there will not be spectators in the stadium for the matches in the first phase.

The Audie Fields in the first phase would not be allowed by the city anyway. However, the team will gauge in advance the possibilities of welcoming large social gatherings in the fall. The final decisions will be made based on the agreement between the local health officials, and the state government recommendations. The MLS looks all prepared with precautions and measures in place when it is ready to resume the regular season after it came to a half due to the coronavirus outbreak. All league officials are closely working with advisors across clubs & with the MLS Players Association on a testing plan.

Every MLS club is looking for a partnership with some local certified lab where the club can get its players, staff & other members get tested for COVID-19 every other day which will also include a test for COVID-19 a day before every matchday. There will also be proper guidelines for coaches, players, staff & other members to stop the infectious disease from spreading when they are away from the club facilities.