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Jun 11, 2020 - Sports

MLS will return in July with tournament at Disney World

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A match between the Chicago Fire and New England Revolution on March 7, 2020.

A match between the Chicago Fire and New England Revolution in March. Photo: Timothy Bouwer/ISI Photos/Getty Images

Major League Soccer will return to action on July 8 with all 26 teams competing in a 54-game, 35-day, World Cup-style tournament.

Why it matters: Like the NBA, the competition will be held at the ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex at the Walt Disney World Resort near Orlando.

  • Unlike the NBA, this is not a postseason tournament. Instead, the group stage matches will count in the regular-season standings, and once the tournament ends, MLS plans to continue its regular season with a revised schedule in which teams would play in their home cities. The playoffs would then follow.

More details:

  • Times: Matches will be played at 9 a.m. ET, 8 p.m. ET and 10:30 p.m. ET each day.
  • Format: After 16 days of group stage matches, the top two teams in each group and the four best third-place finishers advance to the knockout rounds.
  • Fun fact: The ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex (see below) was home to Orlando City Soccer Club in 2014, the year before they made the jump to MLS.
Map of the future home of the NBA and MLS.
Screenshot: Magic Guides

Map: There it is — the future home of the NBA and MLS. The basketball facilities are in the center near the main baseball stadium, while soccer fields are spread across the property.

Go deeper: Disney plans phased reopening of Disney World on July 11

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