Major League Soccer announced that the opening MLS is Back Tournament Group B game between FC Dallas and the Vancouver Whitecaps, originally scheduled for July 9, will be postponed to a later date.
Vancouver had been set to arrive in Orlando for the tournament at the ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex on July 1. However, their journey was delayed due to two inconclusive COVID-19 tests. The tests later came back negative and the team will now depart for Orlando on Monday.
FC Dallas, who arrived in Florida on June 27, announced on Wednesday that all players and staff were quarantining after six players tested positive for COVID-19.
The postponing of both teams' opening game in the tournament will provide extra days for training before Dallas and Vancouver now begin the tournament on July 15, against the Seattle Sounders and San Jose Earthquakes, respectively. The rescheduled date for the FC Dallas vs. Vancouver Whitecaps matchup will be announced at a later date.
Read the full statement from MLS below:
Major League Soccer today announced that the MLS is Back Tournament Group B game between FC Dallas and Vancouver Whitecaps FC has been postponed and will be played on a later match date in the Group Stage presented by Heineken. Further details will be announced at a later date.
Both teams will now play their first matches of the MLS is Back Tournament on July 15, as FC Dallas face Seattle Sounders FC at 9 a.m. ET (ESPN, ESPN Deportes, TSN) and Vancouver Whitecaps FC face the San Jose Earthquakes at 10:30 p.m. ET (TUDN, TSN).
The later match date will allow both teams additional training days in Orlando in advance of their first match.
Vancouver was originally scheduled to arrive on July 1, but the team’s departure was delayed due to two inconclusive COVID-19 Polymerase Chain Reaction (“PCR”) test results during pre-travel screening. The subsequent test results were confirmed to be negative and the club will depart for Orlando on Monday, July 6.
