NYCFC, NY Red Bulls begin voluntary workouts

NYCFC and the New York Red Bulls are hitting the field once again.

MLS teams have been returning to voluntary workouts on a rolling basis since May 6, with the local squads returning Monday after NY Gov. Andrew Cuomo scaled back restrictions for pro athletes.

Both teams will abide by MLS guidelines, including staggered player arrivals and workout times, daily screening, restrictions on non-essential staff, and sanitization/disinfection of equipment between sessions.

“The safety procedures we implement will be extensive and will fully comply with social distancing procedures from the moment the players and the essential staff arrive to when they leave,” NYCFC sporting Director David Lee said in a statement. “We are committed to safely proceeding into a multi-phased approach to get our players back on the pitch and this is an important first step to help our players gain fitness in a controlled and safe environment.”

While the local teams are training at their home facilities, it remains to be seen where they’ll actually play once the league restarts the season that was suspended in March due to the coronavirus pandemic. MLS has reportedly outlined plans for a 26-team tournament in July in Orlando using the ‘bubble city’ idea, though details have yet to be finalized. The league instituted a full team training moratorium on March 12, which is set to expire on June 1. Matches are suspended through at least June 8.