MLS Announces 2027 Sprint Season for Calendar Shift

Major League Soccer announced Thursday a transitional "sprint season" for early 2027, featuring a shortened 14-game regular season that will bridge the league's shift to a summer-to-spring calendar aligned with international soccer schedules.

The sprint season will run from February to May 2027, with each of the league's 30 teams playing seven home games and seven away games exclusively against conference opponents. The Eastern and Western Conferences, each with 15 teams, will see their top eight finishers advance to a single-elimination playoff bracket. The conference champions will then compete in the MLS Cup final in May 2028. Performance in these matches will determine qualifications for international competitions, including five berths in the 2028 CONCACAF Champions Cup and 18 spots, nine from each conference, in the 2028 Leagues Cup. League officials said detailed schedules would be released in the coming months.

This abbreviated format serves as a one-year bridge to the new permanent schedule, with the 2027-28 regular season beginning in July 2027 and concluding in May 2028. The change, approved by MLS owners last year, aims to synchronize the league with European...