Major League Soccer announced a 30-day suspension of all matches Thursday afternoon, effective immediately, to curb the spread of novel coronavirus COVID-19 in the United States.

The announcement followed multiple press reports that the league would follow the actions of the NBA and suspend its season.

The Crew canceled its media availability scheduled to take place in the afternoon after the club’s training session.

"Our clubs were united today in the decision to temporarily suspend our season – based on the advice and guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC), and other public health authorities, and in the best interest of our fans, players, officials and employees," MLS Commissioner Don Garber said in a statement. "We’d like to thank our fans for their continued support during this challenging time."

>> This story is being provided for free as a public service to our readers during the coronavirus outbreak. You can find more stories on coronavirus here. Please support local journalism by subscribing to The Columbus Dispatch at subscribe.dispatch.com.

Last weekend, the Crew played in Seattle, near the epicenter of the coronavirus outbreak in the U.S. On Wednesday, Seattle Sounders and San Jose Earthquakes became the first clubs in MLS to postpone upcoming home matches.The Crew was scheduled to play Real Salt Lake at 5 p.m. Saturday at Mapfre Stadium.

Gov. Mike DeWine said Wednesday at a press conference that he would soon sign an order limiting mass gatherings in the state, which includes sporting events.

U.S Soccer has also canceled friendlies for the men’s and women’s national teams. CONCACAF has also announced the suspension of its Champions League tournament, which features MLS teams.

jmyers@dispatch.com

@_jcmyers