BOSTON — Major League Lacrosse (MLL) announced Thursday the updated 2020 regular season schedule.

This season, beginning July 18, will be played entirely in the city of Annapolis, Md. The season will be one week long and will host all six MLL teams. The week will conclude with a final-four playoff, crowning the 2020 MLL champion the weekend of July 25-26. The Major League Lacrosse season will air on the ESPN Networks and ESPN+.

“Lacrosse fans missed their spring seasons and are now eager and excited to see a return of the game this summer,” said MLL Commissioner Alexander Brown. “While celebrating what will be our 20th-anniversary season, MLL has great respect for the responsibility that comes with returning to the field. We have been working closely with our local, state and national health officials to make decisions based on the latest medical and public health advice available. We look forward to returning to Annapolis and again providing the very best our sport has to offer.”

Games will be played at Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium, the home of 2019 MLL champion Chesapeake Bayhawks. Major League Lacrosse has had a presence in the Chesapeake region since the inception of the league in 2001. In 2019, MLL hosted the All-Star Game at Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium. Hosting the league’s 20th-anniversary season in Annapolis builds on the great lacrosse tradition of the region.

“The Bayhawks have been the pinnacle of lacrosse in Maryland, the nation’s epicenter of lacrosse, for 20 years,” said Gov. Larry Hogan. “As we gradually reopen the state for business and entertainment, it is great to see national organizations like Major League Lacrosse invest in Maryland.”

MLL, under the guidance of a team of medical professionals from all six MLL markets, has developed a comprehensive strategy to ensure the health and safety of the players, staff and all personnel onsite for the 2020 season. MLL has established a COVID Safety Protocol Officer to oversee the adherence and execution of the safety plan. Additionally, MLL is working closely with its partner, Cascade, to offer players access to its newly developed Face Shield, a completely clear, physical barrier designed specifically for SEI-certified Cascade helmets.

To protect the health and safety of players and staff, there will not be fans onsite for the 2020 MLL season.