The 2027 Major League Soccer sprint season is set to take place from February to May, featuring 14 intra-conference matches as part of a transition to a summer-to-spring schedule.
During the regular season, each team will compete in seven home and seven away matches, exclusively against opponents within their own conference. The top eight teams from each conference will qualify for the playoffs, which will be conducted in a single-elimination format to crown a champion for both the Eastern and Western conferences.
The champions from each conference will then compete in the 2027 MLS Cup.
Even with this condensed format, teams will have the opportunity to qualify for the 2028 Concacaf Champions Cup and the 2028 Leagues Cup. The five slots for the Concacaf Champions Cup will be determined based on regular season and playoff results.
“The complete schedule for the 2027 Sprint Season, including each team’s matchups at home and away, will be unveiled in the upcoming months,” stated MLS in a press release.
The revamped regular season for 2027-28 will commence in July 2027 and conclude with the MLS Cup in May of the following year. This new schedule will also incorporate a winter break from mid-December to early February, with no matches scheduled for January.
MLS announced the transition to a summer-to-spring format in November, heralding it as the dawn of a new era for the league.
“This calendar shift is one of the most significant decisions in our history,” said MLS commissioner Don Garber in a press statement. “Aligning our schedule with the world’s leading leagues will enhance our clubs’ global competitiveness, foster better opportunities in the transfer market, and ensure that our Audi MLS Cup Playoffs receive the spotlight they deserve, uninterrupted.”
“This marks the beginning of a new chapter for our league and for soccer in North America.”
The current season runs from February to November, with the MLS Cup typically held in December. Despite the schedule change, over 90% of matches are expected to take place within the league’s existing geographic footprint.