Soccer Watch

Hitting Restart

Austin Bold have been cleared for group training of up to 10 players at a time, with a provisional start date of July 11 for USL league play. Details of format, scheduling, etc., will be decided in the coming weeks... Work continues largely behind the scenes at Austin FC; they announced an affirmative action plan last week including new support for local nonprofits and a diversity hiring program. In other news, they've sold out of luxury seating, GM Andy Loughnane told the States­man's Chris Bils this week, with regular season ticket allotment to begin ... soon?

Major League Soccer announced Wednes­day that the 2020 season will restart July 8 with all 26 MLS clubs competing in the MLS Is Back Tournament at ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex at Disney World in Orlando, and the regular season to continue after the tournament. Tournament draw will be held today, June 11... The National Soccer Hall of Fame reopened this week at FC Dallas' stadium in Frisco... European leagues have mostly restarted. The three countries hardest hit by the coronavirus, and with the most prominent soccer leagues, all restart in the next 10 days: Spain on June 11, Italy on June 12, England on June 17.

There's no official response yet from U.S. Soccer on players' demand that it apologize and retract the rule that players must stand "respectfully" during the national anthem. The governing body had been expected to take up the matter Tuesday...