• Loading stock data...
Wednesday, July 9, 2025

MLS Set To Return With Tournament Starting July 8

  • Fans will not be in attendance for the tournament’s matches.
  • When the tournament is completed on August 11, MLS is aiming to resume its regular season.
Craig Mitchelldyer-USA TODAY Sports
MLS tournament
Photo Credit: Craig Mitchelldyer-USA TODAY Sports

MLS will officially restart its 2020 season on July 8 with a tournament at the ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex in Orlando.

All 26 clubs will begin arriving in Florida on June 24 to prepare for the ‘MLS Is Back Tournament,’ which will run through August 11. The event will include 54 total matches, which will be held nearly every day. Matches will be held at 9 am, 8 pm, and 10:30 pm ET, with the vast majority being played in the evening.

The MLS Players Association approved a proposal from the league on June 3 which opened the door for the tournament to be held, but also modified the league’s new collective bargaining agreement. That agreement, a contentious process that led MLS to threaten locking out the players, saw a number of economic concessions agreed to by the player base including a league-wide salary cut of 7.5% and a cap on performance and individual bonuses. The CBA was also extended an additional year through the 2025 season.

Group stage matches during the tournament will count in the MLS regular season standings and the winner of the tournament will receive a spot in the Concacaf Champions League. Players will also be able to earn bonuses as part of a $1.1 million prize pool.

READ MORE: NWSL Stands to Gain Plenty of Exposure as First U.S. Team Sport Back

Fans will not be in attendance for the tournament’s matches. The league is expected to announce more details regarding the broadcasting of the event soon. ESPN is expected to produce the event, with that feed shared with other rightsholders. MLS said that the tournament’s broadcasts will “feature unique and experimental technologies, including virtual commercial displays, new camera positions, advanced audio and fan integration elements,” as well as additional access to players and coaches.

When the tournament is completed on August 11, MLS is aiming to resume its regular season in its home markets with a revised schedule. The league is also planning to hold its playoffs and MLS Cup championship game.

To ensure the safety of the players, the league has created a protocol that will ensure players are tested regularly. There will also be temperature screenings and questionnaires for Individuals traveling the tournament site or at the hotel or convention center where the players and staff will be staying. Players and coaches not on the field will also be required to wear masks.

Linkedin
Whatsapp
Copy Link
Link Copied
Link Copied

What to Read

Chelsea

Chelsea Club World Cup Run Banks at Least $100M for Mark Walter..

The Blues will likely take home between $100 million and $120 million.
Brooklyn, NY - June 25, 2025 - Barclays Center: Chiney Ogwumike on the set of NBA Today during round one of the 2025 NBA Draft

ESPN’s Chiney Ogwumike on Her Post-WNBA Second Act: ‘I Still Have to..

In her next chapter, Ogwumike is embarking on her new “greatest adventure.”
Paige Bueckers
exclusive

Women’s March Madness Expansion Wouldn’t Yield More ESPN Money

ESPN is not required to pay extra if women’s March Madness expands.
Gianni Infantino

FIFA Tightens Trump Ties With Trump Tower Office

Trump and Infantino’s bromance is still kicking.

Featured Today

American Celebs Want to Be Sports Owners. Soccer Is Where They Start

As U.S. team prices climb, investors set their sights abroad.
July 5, 2025

Baseball’s Celebrity Row: Behind MLB’s First-Pitch Ritual

Often planned, sometimes spontaneous, the ritual throw is baseball’s celebrity row.
July 4, 2025

3,000 Hot Dogs, $20K in Prizes: Behind the Nathan’s Eating Contest

Nathan’s serves up thousands of hot dogs and $20,000 in prize money.
July 3, 2025

Geoffrey Esper Can’t Catch a Break at Nathan’s Hot Dog Eating Contest

“Hot dogs is not one of my favorite competitions of the year.”
FIFA

Saudis Awarded 2034 World Cup in Uncontested Vote

Saudi Arabia was the only option after Australia decided not to bid.
May 20, 2024

Top Sports Business Jobs This Week (May 2024)

Each week, our staff combs through the thousands of job listings from…
The stands at the Solheim Cup
September 13, 2024

LPGA Apologizes for Solheim Cup Fan Bus Debacle That Left Stands Half-Empty

The USA-Europe women’s team golf event teed off Friday morning.
Sponsored

Game On: Portfolio Players Stories, Brought to You by E*TRADE from Morgan Stanley

Dealmaker Jeffrey Kaplan maps the evolution of sports as an asset class
October 3, 2022

Real Madrid President Renews Call for Super League

Real Madrid’s president believes that soccer is losing ground.
August 10, 2022

PGA Tour Touts Projected Earnings to Keep Players

The PGA Tour is asking its players to consider their potential futures.
August 10, 2022

Bayern Munich to Make Growth Push in U.S. Market

Bayern Munich is looking to expand its reach in the U.S.
Nintendo-logo
August 3, 2022

Nintendo Profits Underwhelm, Switch Sales Decline

Nintendo failed to meet expectations in the company’s latest earnings report.