This archive report was first published on 10 July 2020.
Major League Soccer's (MLS) restart competition has hit another snag with Nashville SC withdrawing from the tournament due to a COVID-19 outbreak. The team became the second to pull out of the competition, following FC Dallas, which was withdrawn on Monday after 11 members of the franchise tested positive for the virus.
According to an MLS statement, Nashville SC was unable to train after a total of nine players tested positive for COVID-19 since arriving in Orlando, Florida, for the event. The team had been scheduled to participate in the 'MLS is Back' tournament at Disney World.
MLS Commissioner Don Garber stated, 'We have withdrawn Nashville SC from the MLS is Back Tournament. Due to the number of positive tests, the club has been unable to train since arriving in Orlando and would not be able to play matches.'
Nashville SC's chief executive, Ian Ayre, said, 'Our focus now lays on the recovery of our players who have been infected with COVID-19 and on getting our complete traveling party back home safely.'
The MLS has relaunched its season following a four-month coronavirus shutdown with a World Cup-style tournament, with teams sequestered in a bubble at Disney World in Orlando. Tournament organizers have now tweaked the format of the competition following the withdrawal of Dallas and Nashville, dividing teams into six groups of four.
On Thursday, the New England Revolution secured a 1-0 victory over the Montreal Impact in the only game played that day, with Gustavo Bou scoring in the 56th minute.
