March 18, 2020 - 11:24 AM
The USL Championship, the second-tier soccer league in the U.S., has extended its suspension of play through to May 10 amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
The league initially instituted a 30-day hiatus on March 12, the same day that Major League Soccer announced a similar suspension because of the novel coronavirus outbreak.
But the USL Championship said Wednesday it was extending the suspension to align with recent guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) on restricting public gatherings of 50 or more people.
"We will continue to monitor ongoing events, receive guidance from local, state and national health authorities, and participate in a national task force comprised of other professional sports leagues and organizations from around the country," the 35-team league said in a statement.
"We also want to extend our support and best wishes to all the individuals and communities who have been impacted by COVID-19. We look forward to being back in action again soon."
This report by The Canadian Press was first published March 18, 2020.
News from © The Canadian Press, 2020