As the World Cup approaches next summer, Major League Soccer (MLS) announced on Thursday that it will halt its regular season for over seven weeks. This move is unprecedented and will lead to the championship game being postponed to mid-December.
The season is set to kick off on February 21, aligning with the previous year, but will wrap up on May 24, just before FIFA requires the release of players for the World Cup. Regular matches will recommence on July 16, only three days prior to the World Cup finals, which will take place at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey.
Typically, MLS pauses for a couple of weeks leading up to World Cup events, but next season’s extended break is necessary as attention shifts to tournaments across North America, where numerous MLS players are expected to participate. Matches will take place in five different MLS stadiums.
The regular season will conclude on November 7, which is three weeks later than this year, with playoffs commencing on November 18. This later start alleviates the need to accommodate the FIFA International window in November, allowing the playoffs to proceed uninterrupted for a month. Although the final date remains unconfirmed, it is anticipated to occur on December 19 or 20, which is two weeks later than this year’s schedule.
This adjustment follows last week’s announcement that, beginning in 2027, the league will transition its calendar to align with Europe’s top leagues, operating from July to May. MLS cited scheduling issues with significant international tournaments as the reason for this shift.
Between the end of the 2026 season and the start of the 2027-28 season, MLS will host a mini-season from February to May 2027, featuring 14 matches per team, along with playoffs and the MLS Cup.
2026 MLS Schedule Highlights
During the opening weekend, Los Angeles FC will face Lionel Messi’s Inter Miami at the 77,500-seat LA Memorial Coliseum, located adjacent to LAFC’s home venue, BMO Stadium, which seats 22,000.
Miami’s away schedule also includes a match against D.C. United in Baltimore on March 7 at the 70,745-seat M&T Bank Stadium. To optimize ticket sales and increase revenue in Maryland’s largest city, United has relocated their only home game against Miami from the 20,000-capacity Audi Field, skipping the nearby 64,000-seat Northwest Stadium.
Messi’s team won’t play its inaugural game at its new 25,000-seat Miami Freedom Park until April 4, facing off against Austin FC. This means Miami will start the season with five consecutive away games.
Each team will continue to engage with their conference opponents both home and away, plus an added six inter-conference matches (three home and three away), bringing the total to 34 games. League officials are evaluating potential changes to the regular season format for the 2027-28 season.
The All-Star Game will be held in Charlotte on July 29.
In addition to the full season being available on Apple TV, Fox Sports is set to broadcast 34 matches, including 15 on broadcast networks and 19 on FS1.
Fan Take: This news is significant for soccer fans as it reflects the growing prominence of both the MLS and international competitions in U.S. soccer. The extended break allows the league to showcase its talent on a global stage, potentially elevating the sport’s profile and fan engagement across the country.
