CINCINNATI – Major League Soccer today announced that the league, effective immediately, will suspend the 2020 season for 30 days as it continues to assess the impact of COVID-19.
The league will provide more information as it is available, including the expected rescheduling of affected games or altered schedule.
FC Cincinnati-specific operations have also been affected by the suspension. Effective immediately:
- FC Cincinnati Academy operations – including training and games – will be altered based on guidance provided from U.S. Soccer and MLS
- FC Cincinnati Foundation “Served by the Pros” charitable event on March 22 will be rescheduled
- All scheduled player appearances will be cancelled
- The club’s MLS WORKS Greener Goals service projects on April 8 and April 14 will rescheduled to later dates
- The FC Cincinnati Downtown Shop’s hours of operations will be adjusted
More information – including ticket policies – about FC Cincinnati’s affected matches will be announced in the very near future.
Additional information on COVID-19, including health tips, news updates and other resources, is available via the Ohio Department of Health.
For ongoing updates, please stay up-to-date by following the club’s social media accounts at @FCCincinnati or at fccincinnati.com.
FC Cincinnati President Jeff Berding
“We need to thank our fans and our partners for their patience and continued support while this situation has evolved. We built our club on core values that center on supporting our community and families, and we believe this is absolutely the correct public health approach to help prevent the dangerous transmission of COVID-19 through community spread.
“As we noted yesterday, we support Ohio Governor DeWine and his strong stance on limiting mass gatherings. We strongly support the league’s stance to temporarily halt the season as a precaution, and have been working for several days to get to, and prepare for, this outcome. This is an unprecedented situation, and we look forward to further guidance from MLS, public health officials and government officials as we plot the near future.
“We want the opportunity to have a full final season at Nippert Stadium where the exciting experience and vibrant atmosphere of our supporters have created a lasting image over the last four years. But before that happens, the health and safety of our entire community – including our fans, staff and players – are of the utmost importance.”
