D.C. United seeks to 'Reclaim the Reign' in upcoming tournament
Major League Soccer® is back, sports fans! After the postponement of the spring season due to COVID-19, the long-awaited return of soccer is finally here, albeit in a different format than a regular season.
The MLS is Back tournament, to be held at ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex in Florida, will follow a 'FIFA World Cup-style' with 54 nationally-televised matches in a daily, continuous schedule. All 26 clubs will compete for a seat in the 2021 Scotiabank Concacaf Champions League and the group stage match results will be applied to MLS regular season standings, which will begin following the conclusion of the tournament.
According to D.C. United, the tournament will unfold with three Group Stage matches for each team and the top two teams from each group will advance to the Knockout Stage with the four best third-place teams. The New England Revolution, Montreal Impact, and Toronto FC make up Group C with D.C. United and the Black-and-Red will take on Toronto FC first on Sunday, July 12 at 9 a.m. EST on ESPN2.
Following the Group Stage matches, the Knockout Stage will consist of eight rounds of 16 matches starting on July 25. The quarterfinals and semifinals will take place in early August, with the Tournament Final on ESPN on Aug. 11 at 8 p.m. EST.
Leidos will be cheering on D.C. United as the Presenting Partner while the team seeks to "Reclaim their Reign" as one of the most decorated clubs in the League. The Black-and-Red have a history as the first MLS dynasty, with 13 trophies in 20 seasons and are looking back to that history and tradition in this tournament to lead the team to success. "The whole team is excited to get down to Orlando to try and win this really unique tournament. It’s our chance to represent the District, reclaim our reign, and restart the season on the right foot," said team Captain Steve Birnbaum.
MLS has not yet announced the schedule for the revised season succeeding the tournament, but Leidos will continue to root for the Black-and-Red when they return to their home, Audi Field, as their jersey sponsor, part of our seven year partnership with the club. ¡Vamos United!
Check out the full schedule for MLS is Back
