Major League Soccer in US moves season to align with Europe, play-offs set for May

NEW YORK – Major League Soccer (MLS) will overhaul its competition calendar beginning in 2027, switching to a summer-to-spring season that aligns with Europe's top leagues and moving its play-offs to May, the league announced on Nov 13.

The new format will begin with a shortened transition campaign from February to May 2027 featuring a 14-game regular season, play-offs and MLS Cup final.

The first full season under the new timetable will run from mid-to-late July 2027 till late May 2028, with a mid-winter break from mid-December to early February and no league matches in January.

MLS commissioner Don Garber called the move “one of the most important decisions in our history”, saying alignment with global schedules would boost clubs’ competitiveness, improve transfer-market activity and ensure the play-offs “take centre stage without interruption”.

The calendar change and a new regular-season structure were approved on Nov 13 at an MLS board of governors’ meeting in Palm Beach, Florida.

The league said it is still working with the MLS Players Association on a transition plan and will continue reviewing potential adjustments to its play-off format.

Under the new footprint, the league expects most games to remain within roughly the same weather window, and said it intends to limit home dates in northern areas in December and February. It projects that 91 per cent of matches in 2027-28 will fall within the current season's general timeframe.

MLS framed the change around four strategic aims – timing transfer business for the primary summer window; allowing summer signings to settle before league and play-offs; reducing clashes with Fifa international dates and summer tournaments; and placing the play-offs in May, when the domestic sports calendar is less crowded and weather is milder.

Before approving the shift, MLS conducted a two-year review that began in October 2023 and included feedback from owners, club executives, players, the players’ union, partners and fans. It said research showed strong support for the move, with 92 per cent of “league soccer viewers” in favour.

The current season highlights why MLS would want to make the change.

The league’s play-offs are currently under way and battling for attention amid the National Football League season and US college football. Meanwhile, the biggest acquisition in 2025 – Son Heung-min – had to join Los Angeles FC mid-season after leaving Tottenham Hotspur in August.

Prominent figures in US soccer backed the change.

“This is a great step forward for MLS to be on par with the top leagues in the world,” said US men’s coach Mauricio Pochettino.

“Having managed club teams and now the US national team, the ability to align with the international calendar will have a huge positive impact for the players, coaches and clubs.”

Chicago Fire coach Gregg Berhalter said the switch “helps position MLS on par with the best”, while former US captain Clint Dempsey said sharing a timetable with other leagues would leave players “sharper” for national-team duty. REUTERS