Due to the continuing global pandemic and the challenging circumstances it presents, AFC Ann Arbor announced today that the men’s team will not participate in the 2021 USL League Two season. This difficult decision was made out of necessity to prioritize the health and safety of everyone at our club, including players, staff, supporters and sponsors.
After careful thought and consideration, club leadership determined that the challenges of the ongoing COVID-19 crisis present a significant obstacle to the men’s team’s ability to compete this summer. The club is currently working with UWS leadership to determine if the women’s team will face similar circumstances.
“From the beginning of the pandemic, we have been precautious about our return to play and have followed the guidance and advice of our state's top medical expert, Dr. Joneigh Khaldun,” said Bilal Saeed, Chair of AFC Ann Arbor. “Her leadership has helped save countless lives and she continues to urge people to take precautions in contact sports. When we consider the circumstances in Washtenaw County, we felt it was in the best interest of the club to sit out league play for 2021."
Current Washtenaw County guidelines note that “Athletes must wear a face mask at all times, except in activities where face masks are not able to be worn safely.” They also add that “Testing is required for contact sports and activities where a mask cannot be worn safely.” Under these guidelines and current state restrictions, we cannot in good conscience bring players in for a league season.
“We understand AFC Ann Arbor’s decision to withdraw from participation in the 2021 League Two season,” said USL Vice President Joel Nash. “Each club must make what they feel is in the best interest of the health and safety of players, fans and staff. We look forward to pursuing their continued participation in League Two going into the 2022 season.”
AFC Ann Arbor have remained very active as an organization with a number of community initiatives and will be expanding existing projects while introducing new ones over the coming months. This summer, through Community Kicks, we helped distribute over 30,000 “Learn Soccer” lunch bags to match the drastic increase in demand for meal assistance. New community initiatives will continue as planned with more being announced in the near future. For the latest in AFC Ann Arbor news, be sure to sign up for our newsletter.