MLS moves season to align with Europe, playoffs set for May

Major League Soccer will overhaul its competition calendar beginning in 2027, shifting to a summer-to-spring season that aligns with Europe's top leagues and moving its playoffs to May, the league announced on Thursday.

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

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

BIG CHANGE

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 playoffs "take center stage without interruption".

The calendar change and a new regular-season structure were approved Thursday at an MLS Board of Governors meeting in Palm Beach, Florida.

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

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

STRATEGIC AIMS

MLS framed the change around four strategic aims: timing transfer business for the primary summer window; allowing summer signings to settle before league and playoffs; reducing clashes with FIFA international dates and summer tournaments; and placing the playoffs in May, when the