 MLS's commemorative logo for its 25th season | |
| Season | 2020 |
|---|---|
| Dates |
|
| MLS Cup | Columbus Crew SC (2nd title) |
| Supporters' Shield | Philadelphia Union (1st shield) |
| Champions League (United States) | Atlanta United FC Columbus Crew SC Philadelphia Union Portland Timbers |
| Champions League (Canada) | Toronto FC |
| Leagues Cup | New York City FC Orlando City SC Seattle Sounders FC Sporting Kansas City |
| Matches played | 291 |
| Goals scored | 826 (2.84 per match) |
| Top goalscorer | Diego Rossi (14 goals) |
| Best goalkeeper | Joe Willis (9 shutouts) |
| Biggest home win | 6 goals: SEA 7–1 SJ (September 10) LAFC 6–0 VAN (September 23) |
| Biggest away win | 5 goals: RSL 0–5 COL (September 12) SJ 1–6 POR (September 19) |
| Highest scoring | 9 goals: LA 3–6 POR (October 7) |
| Longest winning run | 5 games: Portland Timbers (September 19 – October 11) Toronto FC (September 23 – October 11) Columbus Crew SC (November 8 – December 12) |
| Longest unbeaten run | 11 games: Orlando City SC (August 26 – October 18) |
| Longest winless run | 9 games: D.C. United (September 6 – October 14) |
| Longest losing run | 6 games: LA Galaxy (September 19 – October 14) |
| Highest attendance | 69,301 ATL 2–1 CIN (March 7) |
| Lowest attendance | 0 |
| Total attendance | 637,020[2] |
| Average attendance | 2,182[2] |
← 2019 2021 → | |
The 2020 Major League Soccer season was the 25th season of Major League Soccer (MLS), the top professional soccer league in the United States and Canada. The regular season began on February 29, 2020, and was originally planned to end on October 4. The MLS Cup Playoffs were planned to begin later that month and would end with MLS Cup 2020 on November 7.
On March 12, 2020, the season entered a lengthy suspension due to the COVID-19 pandemic in North America, following the cancellation of several matches.[3] On May 1, the league announced that players would be allowed to resume individual outdoor training at MLS facilities on May 6.[4] The COVID-19 pandemic was the first interruption of regular season play since the 2001 MLS season, in which many late regular season games were canceled due to the September 11 attacks. On June 10, MLS announced that a bracket format dubbed the "MLS is Back Tournament" would begin July 8 at ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex in Walt Disney World, and end with the final on August 11.[5] The tournament included 51 matches in 35 days and over 1,000 players and staff quarantined to a set of hotels at Walt Disney World;[6] it was eventually won by the Portland Timbers, who as a result earned a berth in the 2021 CONCACAF Champions League.[7] The regular season later resumed a day after the tournament finished, and concluded on November 8. The playoffs began on November 20 with MLS Cup 2020 now being played on December 12.[8]
The 2020 season saw the addition of two expansion clubs, Inter Miami CF and Nashville SC, which took Major League Soccer to 26 total teams. Nashville SC was initially placed in the Western Conference, for a 13–13 team balance, despite Nashville being to the east of the western most Eastern Conference team, Chicago Fire FC. However, after the MLS Is Back Tournament, COVID-19 difficulties led to MLS limiting teams to matches with teams in geographic proximity, and as a result Nashville was moved to the Eastern conference due to geography. This led to an imbalance, with 14 teams in the Eastern Conference and 12 in the Western Conference. Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, this season was planned to be the first MLS season in which each team did not play every other team at least once, but, due to the pandemic, the schedule was heavily modified and most teams only played other teams within a regional geographic bubble. During the regular season around September and toward the end of the season, COVID-19 cross-border restrictions imposed by the Canadian government forced the Canadian MLS teams to play home matches in the United States.
The Philadelphia Union won the Supporters' Shield on the final day of the regular season, the first major trophy in the club's history. Columbus Crew SC defeated defending champions Seattle Sounders FC in MLS Cup 2020 3–0 to win a second MLS Cup title, and their first since 2008.[9] The league's teams incurred an estimated financial loss of $1 billion due to lost ticket sales and additional costs. The 2020 season was the longest in MLS season, stretching 287 days.[6]
- ^ "When does the 2020 MLS season begin? All you need to know". ESPN. December 23, 2019. Archived from the original on February 12, 2020. Retrieved February 12, 2020.
- ^ a b "2020 MLS Standings and Leaders". Major League Soccer. November 8, 2020. p. 6. Archived from the original on April 25, 2023. Retrieved April 24, 2023.
- ^ "MLS suspends 2020 season for 30 days due to coronavirus" (Press release). Major League Soccer. March 12, 2020. Archived from the original on March 13, 2020. Retrieved March 12, 2020.
- ^ "MLS announces players may begin to use outdoor training fields for individual workouts May 6". MLSSoccer.com. May 1, 2020. Archived from the original on May 2, 2020. Retrieved May 1, 2020.
- ^ "MLS is Back tournament". Major League Soccer. June 10, 2020. Archived from the original on June 16, 2020. Retrieved June 10, 2020.
- ^ a b Robinson, Joshua (December 11, 2020). "MLS, the Pandemic and American Soccer's Longest Season". Wall Street Journal. ProQuest 2469042254. Archived from the original on December 5, 2023. Retrieved June 14, 2023.
- ^ "MLS is Back Tournament winner will qualify for 2021 Concacaf Champions League". MLSSoccer.com. Major League Soccer. June 10, 2020. Archived from the original on November 24, 2020. Retrieved November 23, 2020.
- ^ "MLS releases 2020 return to season schedule". MLSSoccer.com. August 8, 2020. Archived from the original on August 20, 2020. Retrieved August 8, 2020.
- ^ "MLS 2020 season review: Columbus Crew SC were worth saving". ESPN. December 16, 2020. Archived from the original on May 29, 2023. Retrieved June 14, 2023.