UPDATE (11:45 a.m. ET): Major League Soccer has announced it has suspended match play for 30 days, effective Thursday.
MLS and the New England Revolution released the following statements regarding suspended play:
Major League Soccer Suspends Season for 30 Days pic.twitter.com/P0HEPmsnkx
— Major League Soccer (@MLS) March 12, 2020
New England Revolution Statement on MLS season suspension
— New England Revolution (@NERevolution) March 12, 2020
(Correction: April 11 match not effected at this time)
📝➡️ https://t.co/SPpCKwkgJh#NERevs pic.twitter.com/VqvJCqqQeI
-- End of update --
Major League Soccer reportedly isn't taking any chances.
MLS is suspending its season Thursday until further notice due to the outbreak of the COVID-19 coronavirus, Sports Illustrated's Grant Wahl reports.
MLS will become the second North American professional sports league to suspend operations after the NBA did so Wednesday night.
The spread of coronavirus -- which was declared a global pandemic Wednesday -- already has shut down Spain's La Liga, while a player in Italy's Serie A recently tested positive for the virus.
After President Donald Trump instituted a 30-day travel ban for those coming from Europe to the United States on Wednesday night, it seemed unlikely MLS would continue operations as usual, considering several European players are on MLS rosters and scouts regularly travel to Europe to seek out new talent.
The New England Revolution were two games into their regular season after losing to the Impact 2-1 in Montreal on Feb. 29 and drawing 1-1 with the Chicago Fire at Gillette Stadium last Saturday.
Their next game was scheduled for Sunday, March 15, against the Portland Timbers at home.