Earlier today MLS announced the MLS is Back Tournament, which is set to take place from July 8-August 11 in Orlando, Fla. The tournament marks the return of competitive MLS action following the suspension of the regular season amidst the COVID-19 pandemic.
Below we give you a quick tournament breakdown and what the Club’s participation in it will look like:
How will it work?
The month-long tournament will mirror the structure of a FIFA World Cup. All 26 current MLS clubs will participate in the tournament, with teams being drawn into five groups of four teams each, and one group of six teams.
The groups will be separated along Eastern and Western Conference lines. The live draw will be streamed Thursday, June 11, at 3:30 p.m. ET on MLSsoccer.com and the official MLS Twitter, Facebook and YouTube accounts.
Inter Miami will be guaranteed to play a minimum of three group stage matches with a typical point structure: three points for a win, one point for a draw and zero for a loss. The group stage matches, however, will also count toward the MLS regular season standings.
Following the group stage, the top two finishers in each group and the four best third place finishers will advance to the knockout rounds, leaving 16 teams in the competition. In the knockout rounds, matches that end in a draw at the end of regulation will go to penalty kicks. The following procedure (in order of priority) will be used to determine which third-placed clubs advance from the group stage:
Total number of points
Goal differential
Goals for
Fewest Disciplinary Points
Each team will be allowed five substitutions per match, following the temporary protocol established by The International Football Association Board, and Video Review will be in effect for each match. In addition, teams may name up to 23 players on each official match day roster. As all teams will be centralized in one location, there will be no home or away team designations.
When is it?
The ‘MLS is Back Tournament’ begins July 8.
The dates for each round of the tournament are as follows:
Group stage: July 8 - July 23
Round of 16: July 25 - 28
Quarterfinals: July 30 - August 1
Semifinals: August 5 - August 6
Final: August 11
In total, the tournament will run for 35 days. Inter Miami’s full schedule is expected to be released in the coming days.
Where is it?
The tournament will take place at the ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex in Orlando, Florida. The 220-acre complex sits near the Walt Disney World Resort and features a number of available fields. The matches will be closed to the public.
How can I watch?
Full details on the broadcast schedule and how Inter Miami fans can tune in are expected to be announced in the near future. The matches will be closed to the public.
What are we playing for?
In addition to the group stage results counting towards MLS regular season standings, the winner of the tournament will also receive an automatic 2021 Scotiabank Concacaf Champions League berth. Players will also have opportunities to earn bonuses from a $1.1 million prize pool.
What happens after this tournament?
Inter Miami is expected to return to South Florida following the completion of the tournament ahead of a yet-to-be-determined regular season structure. Each MLS club will return to their respective home market. Inter Miami will only face Eastern Conference opponents in the revised regular season. The final number of matches and the schedule for the remainder of the 2020 MLS regular season will be announced in the coming weeks.
Are our players and staff going to be safe?
The safety of all involved is of utmost importance to Inter Miami and MLS. PCR tests will be administered twice and a Serology test once for each traveling member of the Club prior to departure. PCR tests will also be administered upon arrival (Day 1) followed by full team training. Testing will continue every other day during the first two weeks, and continue regularly once matches begin (including the day before a match), and temperature screening and completion of standardized screening questionnaires will be required for all individuals traveling to the ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex or providing services at the hotel and convention center where MLS league and club personnel will be staying. A positive response to the daily questionnaire or a temperature check above 100.3 degrees must be reported and the individual in question will be isolated immediately and PCR testing will be performed.
What does this mean for ticket holders?
Inter Miami fans with a purchased ticket for the 2020 season will be contacted directly by their account representative in the coming days.
League-wide details on the tournament can be found here.
