Nashville SC will compete in the Eastern Conference when play resumes in the MLS Is Back Tournament on July 8
NASHVILLE (June 10, 2020) – Nashville Soccer Club announced today in conjunction with Major League Soccer that the club will move to the Eastern Conference as all 26 teams prepare to resume play in the MLS Is Back Tournament in Orlando, Fla. Upon return from the tournament, the club will stay in the Eastern Conference through the remainder of the 2020 MLS season.
Nashville SC will travel to Orlando at the end of June and will kick off its participation in the tournament at the ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex as early as July 8. The Boys in Gold will play three Eastern Conference opponents as part of the group stage and will look to secure one of the top two seeds to advance to the knockout round and compete for a spot in the 2021 Scotiabank Concacaf Champions League. A draw to determine the group and Nashville SC’s opponents will take place on Thursday, June 11 at 2:30 p.m. CT via MLSSoccer.com.
“Moving to the Eastern Conference is great for Nashville SC and our fans,” said Mike Jacobs, Nashville SC General Manager. "Soccer is so tribal, and the opportunity to play this 2020 season against regional rivals in proximity to Nashville is really important for our club on and off the pitch.” Following the MLS Is Back Tournament in Orlando, the league aims to return to playing matches in market, at which point a revised schedule of matches at Nissan Stadium will be shared.
Nashville SC was selected to switch conferences for both the tournament and the remainder of the 2020 MLS season due to its proximity to the Eastern Conference teams, which maximizes efficiency and recovery time by minimizing team travel which is critical given the compressed timeframe.
The team’s farthest travelled distance will now include a 924-air mile trip to take on Montreal Impact compared to the 2,041 air miles required to get to the Vancouver Whitecaps FC, Nashville’s farthest opponent in the Western Conference.
Follow Nashville SC in its trip to Orlando and participation in the MLS Is Back Tournament by visiting www.NashvilleSC.com and the club’s social channels on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter.
