Men's 2020 ICC Tournament Canceled Due to Coronavirus Pandemic
The 2020 International Champions Cup–at least on the men's side–won't be happening, the latest athletic event to fall by the wayside amid the coronavirus pandemic.
The announcement from Relevent Sports on Friday could not have come as a surprise, with the European clubs it has made a tradition of bringing to the U.S. and other destinations expected to play on into the summer to complete their domestic seasons. As a result, there would be no time to arrange a preseason set of friendlies for them overseas–and that's presuming that international travel is relaxed enough for it even to be a possibility in the first place.
“We are heartbroken for the thousands who have succumbed to the awful Covid-19 disease, and our thoughts are with everyone who’s been impacted during this difficult time," Relevent Sports Group CEO Danny Sillman said in a statement. "The health and safety of players, staff, fans, and all who are involved in our matches is always paramount.
"The lack of clarity of when social distancing and shelter-in-place restrictions will be lifted and the uncertain international football calendar with the potential for European domestic leagues and UEFA tournaments being played into August, means planning a men’s International Champions Cup this summer is unfeasible. We look forward to bringing the best clubs and most iconic matchups in the world to the U.S. and Asia in 2021.
Sillman's statement did, seemingly, leave the door open in 2020 for a women's ICC, something that has been in place since 2018 and featured four teams in each of its first two seasons. North Carolina Courage, Lyon and Man City all participated in both, while PSG took part in 2018 and Atletico Madrid did in 2019.
On the men's side, the ICC has been used to pit some of Europe's biggest clubs–and in some cases, bitter rivals–against one another away from European soil, with Barcelona and Real Madrid staging a Clasico in Miami in 2017, for instance. The two Spanish giants were reportedly going to play again in Las Vegas this summer, had the competition not been canceled.
