Overview
- The Board of Governors voted Thursday to start league play in mid-to-late July with Decision Day in April and the playoffs, including MLS Cup, in May, featuring a winter break from mid-December to early or mid-February.
- To bridge the shift, MLS will run a shortened transition season from February to May 2027 with a 14-match regular season followed by playoffs.
- The league said the calendar change is intended to better match international competition timing and reduce disruption from FIFA dates.
- MLS is working with the MLS Players Association on the transition, and implementation details are subject to the current collective bargaining agreement that runs through January 2028.
- Owners are considering competition-format changes such as a single table with five geographic divisions and a redesigned postseason, but those plans have not been finalized and remain under discussion, including logistics for cold-weather markets.