What happened: The Major League Soccer has temporarily suspended games for 30 days, effective immediately.
Why it matters: The decision postpones three scheduled Vancouver Whitecaps FC games. This is the first instance of a major B.C. sports team suspending its season over COVID-19 concerns.
Three upcoming Vancouver Whitecaps FC matches have been postponed as the Major Soccer League (MLS) continues to assess the impact of COVID-19.
MLS announced on Thursday that all match games have been suspended immediately for a period of 30 days. It follows the National Basketball Association's decision to suspend its season on Wednesday over concerns about the spread of the Coronavirus. All National Hockey League games, morning skates and practices have been cancelled until further notice.
MLS commissioner Don Garber noted in a release that the temporary suspension was made on advice from a number of health organizations, including the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and the Public Health Agency of Canada.
In a tweet, the Whitecaps said it was working in real time to gather information, and will release additional updates soon. The club confirmed to BIV that today's training session has also been cancelled.
The team had a game scheduled for this Saturday. Three matches in total – against Real Salt Lake, Colorado and New York City – have been postponed.
