All Initial On-Site CPL COVID-19 Tests Return Negative

The Canadian Premier League has confirmed that all 276 season participants in Charlottetown have tested negative from the initial round of on-site COVID-19 testing.

This number of participants includes players, coaches, and club staff along with referees, league staff, and other members of the Canadian Premier League delegation staying at the Delta Prince Edward in Charlottetown, PEI. The league arrived en masse this past Saturday, at which point each individual was immediately tested.

Fans can take a look at the official notice below:

In the two weeks preceeding the tournament, league members had been instructed to self-isolate with exceptions being made for training at club grounds and close contact with those they already lived with. The league members also went through at least two rounds of COVID-19 testing prior to departing for the tournament.

To minimize the risk of infection during travel, the Canadian Premier League chartered two flights that brought the clubs to Charlottetown last Saturday, at which point the initial round of testing immediately began, with the results now coming back negative across the board.

With the league now sequestered at the Delta Prince Edward, players will only leave the site when travelling via chartered bus for competitive games at UPEI Turf Field or training on the nearby pitch. Moments before the above release was sent, the league also finally released the regular season schedule for The Island Games, with each side averaging about 3-4 days of rest between fixtures ahead of playoffs.

The league has confirmed that players will undergo weekly on-site COVID-19 testing as The Island Games runs until mid-September. At this point, it isn’t clear if the sides will remain in Charlottetown to play the first round of the Canadian Championship.

Header Image Photo Credit: Nora Stankovic for OneSoccer