MLS players hope to avoid lockout

The Major League Soccer Players Association has proposed extending the current collective bargaining agreement with the league through the 2026 season.

The proposal came Thursday as the league and the union faced a midnight deadline after MLS invoked a force majeure clause to reopen negotiations over the CBA, citing ongoing uncertainty surrounding the pandemic. With its proposal, the union said it hoped to avoid a lockout.

The MLS regular season is set to open April 3 with preseason training camps allowed to start on Feb. 22.