Major League Soccer has suspended play for 30 days, effective immediately, in order to assess concerns over the spread of the coronavirus, the organization said in a statement.
“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,” MLS commissioner Don Garber said.
Pablo Maurer, a journalist with The Athletic, broke the news on Twitter before the statement was released, writing, “according to multiple sources at multiple MLS clubs, the league is suspending all play immediately.”
Grant Wahl, a writer with Sports Illustrated, also tweeted the suspension, writing, “MLS is suspending its season immediately until further notice due to coronavirus.”
The MLS season suspension would come on the coattails of big seasonal changes with basketball and NASCAR.
On March 11, just hours after WHO declared COVID-19 a pandemic, the NCAA banned fans from attending the March Maddness tournament. Shortly after that, Big 12 commissioner Bob Bowlsby announced a fan ban for the rest of the tournament happening now in Kansas City. The NBA also suspended the rest of their season.
In NASCAR, officials are still allowing fans to come to the tracks to watch the races. However, they have implemented a list at-track changes in order to mitigate contact and proximity between people.