Vancouver Whitecaps announce widespread illness affecting team after Mexico trip for Champions Cup final

The Vancouver Whitecaps announced on Thursday that a significant number of players and staff members are dealing with a gastrointestinal illness after traveling to Mexico City for the CONCACAF Champions Cup final against Cruz Azul. The club cancelled its scheduled training session on Wednesday and conducted only a modified individual session on Thursday for players who had been medically cleared. The Whitecaps medical staff has implemented individualized recovery programs for affected personnel as they attempt to prepare for Sunday's scheduled MLS match against the Seattle Sounders.

This incident bears striking similarities to what Columbus Crew experienced before their CONCACAF Champions Cup final in Mexico last year. For the Whitecaps, the illness outbreak compounds what has already been a difficult period, as the 5-0 defeat to Cruz Azul on Saturday ended their impressive 15-game unbeaten streak across all competitions. The team was already shorthanded due to international call-ups, as nine players have left the squad to join their national teams.

Ali Ahmed, Sam Adekugbe, Jayden Nelson, Sebastian Berhalter, Brian White, Pedro Vite, Andrés Cubas, Giuseppe Bovalina, Tate Johnson are the nine players away from the team for international duty.

The Vancouver Whitecaps face the Seattle Sounders on June 8, and the club faces a tight timeline to determine if enough players will be healthy for Sunday's scheduled match.