MLS confirms that there will be no Supporters Shield this year

Major League Soccer awards the Supporters Shield trophy to the team that finishes with the best overall-record during the regular season. On 17 August the Supporters Shield Foundation, the group appointed by the Independent Supporters Council to oversee the awarding of the trophy each year, decided that due to the Covid-19 pandemic there will be no trophy this season.

The main reason is that The Shield was created by the club supporters in the beginning of MLS in 1998 and the last team to win it was Los Angeles FC (2019) after a record-breaking regular season.

“After much consideration and discussion, the Supporters' Shield Foundation has decided to forego awarding the Supporters' Shield for the 2020 season. This is not an easy decision to make. With the inability for supporters to be in attendance and fill their stadiums with passion, however, we feel as though the current climate goes against the spirit of the Shield,” read the statement.

“The Supporters’ Shield Foundation stands with our players and our supporters in knowing that this year has been one of many challenges, and we commend the support and effort given to making the best of the 2020 season as it has been.”

“With no 2020 winner to house the Shield, we will be taking 2021 as a means to spread the word and spirit of the shield across the entire league. We look forward to educating supporters on the Shield’s history and passion, as well as welcoming new supporter groups to MLS. As long as it can be safely done, the Supporters’ Shield will be going on tour in 2021 so that as many supporters as possible may be able to see and learn about this wonderful symbol of North American soccer.”

Who has won the most Supporter Shields

Since Major League Soccer started handing out the trophy in 1998, the Los Angeles Galaxy and DC United have won the Supporters Shield four times. Columbus Crew and New York Red Bulls have three trophies and San Jose Earthquakes won it twice.