MLS has announced that the league will investigate a change to its schedule, which would match the international football calendar as well as possible changes to the format of the regular season and playoffs in 2027
“The governor councilor of Major League Soccer today approved a second phase of exploration to a potential change to the international football calendar, together with a further evaluation of the regular season and playoff formats of the league,” says a explanation of the league on Thursday.
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“All possible changes would only become effect in the 2027 season. This next phase includes additional consultations with important stakeholders and the development of a comprehensive transition plan.”
In contrast to most other leagues worldwide, MLS currently has a schedule for winter. The regular season started in February in 2025 and ended in October in front of the MLS Cup Playoffs.
In December, the MLS commissioner Don Garber said that the league was thinking of an orientation of the league calendar for Europe.
Garber in conversation with reporters in his annual state of the league address indicated that the league had previously been converted in an autumn/spring format in an autumn/spring format in an autumn/spring format in an autumn/spring format.
At the time, he said that there is more dynamics about a possible change – possibly as soon as the 2026 season – but that a lot of work remained among the league stakeholders.
“I think that we are thinking about this opportunity more than ever before, but it is not something we're ready for,” said Garber. “The schedule is overcrowded. Summer, especially June, was taken up by most international tournaments. [It] We have dug even even more than ever in the past, but we have a lot to do and this work has not yet been completed. “
The orientation with the international football calendar could also help increase the role of the MLS on the global transfer market, which is dominated by big steps in the summer around the middle of the MLS season.
An outstanding argument against the change is the weather concerns for cold climate cities in North America.
