Orlando City headed to Toronto as MLS clears Canadian teams to return to market
Orlando City will play its first road match in Canada since before the pandemic on Saturday when the team travels to Toronto.
MLS announced the return to home markets this weekend for both Toronto FC and CF Montreal on Wednesday. The decision was made following updates to public health legislation enacted by the Canadian government at the start of July.
Under the new guidelines, Toronto will also be able to host 7,000 fans at BMO Field. Capacity will increase to 15,000 on July 21.
In a statement, the league said the decision was also made with the “consideration of the substantial time players and staff have spent away from their home markets, and with Canadian fans and media in mind.”
Toronto and Montreal players and staff spent most of the 2020 and 2021 seasons away from their home markets, playing games in foreign stadiums due to travel restrictions between the U.S. and Canada. Before the announcement, Toronto hosted its home matches at Exploria Stadium in Orlando while training at ChampionsGate.
Orlando City CEO Alex Leitão shared appreciation in a post on Twitter for the willingness of the three Canadian clubs, including the Vancouver Whitecaps, to relocate during the pandemic.
“Let me take this opportunity to recognize the incredible effort and collaboration that all three teams from Canada had when agreed [to] move to US to keep our competition going,” Leitão wrote. “Very much appreciated. Thanks and welcome back home.”
Following Canadian travel policies, players and staff must have received the COVID-19 vaccine to be allowed to cross the border for away matches. Every player on the Orlando City roster has received the vaccine, according to a club source.
The Lions will kick off against Toronto FC at BMO Field at 7:30 p.m. on Saturday.
This article first appeared on OrlandoSentinel.com. Email Julia Poe at jpoe@orlandosentinel.com.
