Major League Soccer has confirmed that the 2021 season will commence on April 3 and end with ‘Decision Day’ scheduled to take place on November 7.
The American soccer league has also confirmed that soccer training for MLS clubs would commence on February 22, less than two months before the commencement of the Major League Soccer 2021 season.
Between April 3 and November 6, the 27 Major League Soccer clubs are expected to play 34 league games each. Afterward, the clubs concerned will concentrate on executing the playoffs which will kick off on November 19. Less than three weeks later, the next tournament on the agenda will be MLS Cup which is scheduled to take place on December 11.
More so, the Major League Soccer has announced that the MLS All-Star for this season will take place around 2021 summer but the league body has not announced a specific date for the commencement of the playoff. The venue of the playoff has not been announced yet.
Before the season will kick off, the league body has lined up coronavirus testing protocol, health, and safety guidelines the 27 MLS clubs must follow. It was reported that the guidelines would be similar to that of 2020.
The new club that is expected to join the MLS this season is Austin FC. The club will join the Western Conference which will increase the number of the clubs in the conference to 14 while that of the Eastern Conference will be 13.
Meanwhile, the Major League Soccer Players Association (MLSPA) has confirmed that the association is still negotiating with the MLS over the welfare of players amid the coronavirus pandemic.
“MLS continues to meet with the Major League Soccer Players Association and players to discuss working together to put MLS on a secure footing given the unprecedented impact of Covid-19,” the league said in a statement regarding the CBA talks.
“On Jan. 5 MLS presented the MLSPA with a proposal that committed to paying the players 100% of their salaries this year, in return for a two-year extension of the MLS Collective Bargaining Agreement. The MLS responded to the league’s proposal on Jan. 23.
“Although no agreement has been reached, MLS is committed to meet as many times as necessary with the MLS in the coming days to finalize an agreement.”
