Team exec: If games start in July, MLS could play a full schedule

Atlanta United president Darren Eales says it’s still possible for Major League Soccer to get in a full 34-game season plus the playoffs by the end of the year.

During a conference call with reporters, Eales noted that player contracts run through Dec. 31, which presumably means the league could push its MLS Cup title game to the very last day of the year.

MLS shut down in mid-March — just two weeks into its season — because of the coronavirus outbreak.

Each team has 32 regular-season games left and the playoffs usually take another month. The league has already said that it will likely push back its championship game, which was set for Nov. 7.

Eales said if the season doesn’t resume by the end of July, playing a full schedule would be very difficult.