We have tried to honor most FIFA dates this year, especially qualifiers,” he said. “We will look to do similar in the future.”
Perhaps it is a realization that the league is more plugged in to the world’s game than ever before. Perhaps it is a realization that as the league obtains more players from overseas and develops more American players, more guys from M.L.S. could be away from their clubs on international duty at critical times in the league’s season.
Whatever the reason, it is clearly a welcome change from the days when M.L.S. played through the World Cup (the league, for the first time, took off during the first round of last year’s tournament in South Africa) and on FIFA dates.
Is this thinking long, long overdue? Because of when it plays its season, can M.L.S. ever be in a position to take off during all FIFA dates and international tournaments?
This time around, the league lists 51 players representing 19 countries who are away on international duty (11 with the U.S.; 7 with Canada; and 6 with Jamaica)
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