Philadelphia Union has confirmed Covid-19 test; tonight’s game still on as scheduled

A Philadelphia Union player has tested positive for Covid-19, but tonight’s game against the Chicago Fire at Subaru Park is still scheduled to be played at 7:30 p.m.

The team said in a statement that they learned of the confirmed positive test result for an unnamed first team player, who they say is asymptomatic, today.

“All other players and members of the Club have returned consecutive negative test results and do not have symptoms,” the statement reads. “The player will remain in isolation until medically cleared and will be monitored by the club’s medical staff and tested daily.”

The MLS testing protocol requires MLS players to undergo Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) tests every other day, including the day before each match.

“The confirmation of a positive Covid-19 case occurs when a player receives two consecutive positive test results,” the Union statement reads. “As a result of this confirmed positive test, the Union will now begin daily testing of close contacts within the first team.”

The team statement also notes in the statement that they have implemented contact tracing in collaboration with local health officials.

This is the first confirmed case on the first team roster since Kacper Przybylko was the first publicly reported positive coronavirus test in MLS back in April. Przybylko identified that he was the previously unnamed player in May.

Philadelphia Union II had three straight matches postponed because of multiple positive coronavirus cases in their team in August.