The National Women’s Soccer League extended its training moratorium through April 5 due to concerns stemming from the spread of the coronavirus pandemic.
As a result, the start of the league’s 2020 season — which was previously slated to begin on April 18 — will be delayed.
Update on the start of the #NWSL season: pic.twitter.com/Uf45KweIio
— National Women’s Soccer League (@NWSL) March 20, 2020
At this time, the league has not set a new date for when the 2020 season will kick off. Guidelines released by the Centers for Disease Control on March 15 suggested that all gatherings of 50 or more people over the next eight weeks be postponed or canceled. As the NWSL continues to follow CDC guidelines, this would mean that the earliest possible start date for the season would be May 11.
The league had previously suspended all training for a week after canceling all preseason matches in the wake of rising concerns due to coronavirus. Other leagues throughout the U.S. — including Major League Soccer and the United Soccer League — have also extended their training moratoriums and match suspensions by at least one week.
“We are considering all possible implications for the pre-season and regular season schedules while prioritizing the health and safety of our players, staff and fans,” the league said in a statement on Friday. “We will continue to provide updates on our website www.nwslsoccer.com and through our channels.”