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Reports that multiple MLS teams were considering withdrawing their teams from the USL Championship season were put to rest on Wednesday with the announcement that all 35 teams will compete in completing a 16-game schedule.
The Philadelphia Union II played one game — a scoreless draw against Loudoun United at Subaru Park on March 7 — before the season was suspended due to the coronavirus pandemic. That means they’ll play 15 more regular season games .
The league’s 35 teams will be split into eight regional groups. There will be five groups of four teams and three groups with five teams. Teams will play 12 games within their group and four outside their group.
The Union II will likely be in one of the five team groups, which means they would play Loudoun United two more times and play Hartford Athletic, Pittsburgh Riverhounds and New York Red Bulls II three times each.
The four out-of-group teams from the region they’d likely play would by Louisville City FC, Indy Eleven, Charlotte Independence and North Carolina FC.
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Teams will play a balanced home and away schedule but the league will allow for an imbalance due to coronavirus precautions. This would mean seven games at Subaru Park for Union II and eight games on the road if none of the games are impacted by coronavirus.
The top two teams in each group will advance to the 16-team playoffs.
Play is slated to resume on July 11. Games will conclude the weekend of July 2-4.