Major League Soccer delays naming next expansion team

[December 22, 2017]    (Reuters) - Major League Soccer said on Thursday it would delay until the New Year a decision on whether to add Cincinnati, Detroit or Sacramento as its next expansion team.

Nashville Mayor Megan Barry, Nashville Soccer Club owner John Ingram, MLS commissioner Don Garber and Tennessee governor Bill Haslam pose for a photo after a press conference to award an MLS expansion team to Nashville at Country Music Hall of Fame. Mandatory Credit: Christopher Hanewinckel-USA TODAY Sports

"Following the announcement of Nashville as our newest club yesterday, Major League Soccer remains in discussions with the other three finalists for the next team to be awarded during this round of expansion - Cincinnati, Detroit and Sacramento," the league said in a statement.

"All three submitted impressive bids which the league will take additional time to review before announcing a final decision in the New Year."

Nashville, Tennessee on Thursday was awarded MLS's 24th franchise. No decision has been made on when the team will begin to play.

MLS said in January that 12 cities were vying for an expansion team in the league, which began with 10 clubs in 1996. It now has 20 teams in the United States and three in Canada.

The league said at the time it planned to announce two expansion teams by the end of 2017 that would begin playing in 2020.

(Reporting by Gene Cherry in Salvo, North Carolina; Editing by Toby Davis)

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