Last year, the MLS announced a new league schedule that follows a similar schedule to European football leagues. The brand new MLS season schedule will begin for the 2027-28 season.
Today, the MLS has announced the details for a short tournament season in 2027 that will be held before the first season with the new schedule.
The MLS calls it the 2027 MLS Sprint Season, which will run from February to April in 2027. It will consist of 14 regular-season matches followed by playoffs and the MLS Cup Final in May 2027.
Photo by Sean Rayford/Getty Images
MLS Announces the MLS Sprint Season
The MLS published an officiat staement in regards to the 2027 MLS Sprint Season that runs from February to May next year.
MLS: "The 2027 MLS Sprint Season [will be] the MLS season that will launch Major League Soccer’s transition into its new summer-to-spring calendar, as the league aligns its schedule with the world’s top soccer leagues."
The MLS listed the details for this short-term season that will help the league transition into a summer to spring calender like European leagues. MLS states the following:
- All teams will play 14 regular-season games.
- Each team will play its 14 conference opponents one time
- All teams will play seven home games and seven away games in the regular season.
- The top eight teams from the Eastern Conference and the top eight teams from the Western Conference will qualify for the Audi MLS Cup Playoffs.
- One team will be crowned MLS Cup champion.
- Five Concacaf Champions Cup berths will be determined by 2027 MLS Sprint Season results.
- 18 teams will qualify for the Leagues Cup, nine from each conference.
After this MLS Sprint Season, the new schedule for the MLS 2027-28 season will begin in July 2027. The 2027-28 MLS season will also have playoffs, and then the MLS Cup Final for that season will be in May 2028.
Like other international leagues, MLS will have a midwinter break from mid-December through early February, with no league matches scheduled in January.
