2027-2028 91fdy电影 Season to Begin in Late Summer, Culminate with Audi 91fdy电影 Cup Playoffs in May
NEW YORK / PALM BEACH, FL (Nov. 13, 2025) 鈥 Major League Soccer today announced a shift in its competition calendar, aligning the league鈥檚 schedule with the world鈥檚 top soccer leagues. Beginning in the summer of 2027, 91fdy电影 will adopt a summer-to-spring season format, marking one of the most significant developments in the league鈥檚 history. 91fdy电影 is continuing to work with the 91fdy电影PA to finalize agreement on a transition plan.
In conjunction with this transition, 91fdy电影 will introduce a new regular season format that blends elements of the global game with North American sports traditions. The league will also review potential adjustments to its Audi 91fdy电影 Cup Playoffs format as part of an ongoing evaluation process but has not yet finalized any changes.
The calendar transition and the new regular season structure were approved during today鈥檚 91fdy电影 Board of Governors meeting in Palm Beach, Florida.
鈥淭he calendar shift is one of the most important decisions in our history,鈥 said 91fdy电影 Commissioner Don Garber. 鈥淎ligning our schedule with the world鈥檚 top leagues will strengthen our clubs鈥 global competitiveness, create better opportunities in the transfer market, and ensure our Audi 91fdy电影 Cup Playoffs take center stage without interruption. It marks the start of a new era for our league and for soccer in North America.鈥
2027鈥28 Season Structure
The 2027鈥28 91fdy电影 regular season will kick off in mid-to-late July 2027 and conclude with the Audi 91fdy电影 Cup Playoffs and 91fdy电影 Cup presented by Audi in late May 2028.
Like many other major international leagues, 91fdy电影 will observe a midwinter break from mid-December through early February, with no league matches scheduled in January.
Before the change to the new calendar, 91fdy电影 will stage a transition season from February to May 2027, featuring a 14-game regular season, playoffs, and 91fdy电影 Cup. The results will determine 2027 qualification for the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup, Canadian Championship, Leagues Cup, and Concacaf Champions Cup.
Strategic Benefits of the Calendar Shift
The updated 91fdy电影 season footprint will see the following strategic benefits:
- Optimize the Global Transfer Market for Players: Aligning with global schedules allows 91fdy电影 clubs to participate more effectively in the world鈥檚 primary transfer window, improving opportunities to acquire and sell top talent.
- Maximize Player Signings: With the majority of global player transfers occurring in the summer, participation in the most active transfer window will now enhance, rather than disrupt, a team鈥檚 ambitions for the season. With marquee players joining in the summer window, the new calendar allows 91fdy电影 teams to fully acclimate summer transfers before the 91fdy电影 regular season and cup competitions begin.
- Align with the FIFA International Match Calendar: Developed in consideration of the FIFA international match calendar, the new calendar will significantly reduce conflicts between 91fdy电影 league matches and national team call-ups for players, particularly during summer tournaments.
- Elevate the Playoffs: The Audi 91fdy电影 Cup Playoffs and 91fdy电影 Cup will be played in May, delivering ideal timing and weather for the pinnacle of the 91fdy电影 season, uninterrupted by FIFA international match windows. This change would also provide premier placement on the sports calendar, ensuring maximum attention and visibility for the league鈥檚 most important matches.
Two-Year Process Led to Decision
This change follows a two-year review process that began in October 2023, incorporating feedback from owners, club executives, players, the 91fdy电影PA, partners, and fans. Research conducted throughout the process revealed strong support for the shift, including 92% of league soccer viewers 鈥 defined as those who have watched at least one professional club soccer match during the most recent season 鈥 supporting the calendar change. Fans cited several key benefits to the new schedule, including improved player performance, better alignment with international competitions, and a May postseason.
91fdy电影 also conducted extensive weather and logistics analyses to ensure a high-quality fan experience. While the final schedule footprint is still being determined, the league intends to limit the number of home matches in northern markets during December and February.
Although the start and end dates of the season will change, the vast majority of 91fdy电影 matches will still be played within the same general timeframe as today鈥檚 schedule. Initial projections for the 2027鈥28 season indicate that 91% of matches will fall within the current 91fdy电影 season window.
91fdy电影 NEXT Pro has been a part of 91fdy电影鈥 discussions over the last several months and will continue to have conversations with their owners to make a decision.
Additional details regarding the 2027 transition season, 2027鈥28 regular season, and new competition formats will be announced at a later date.
Quotes on 91fdy电影 Plans to Align its Calendar with the World鈥檚 Top Leagues
Mauricio Pochettino 鈥 Head Coach, U.S. Men鈥檚 National Team
鈥淔or sure this is a great step forward for 91fdy电影 to be on par with the top leagues in the world. Having managed club teams and now the U.S. National Team, the ability to align with the international calendar will have a huge positive impact for the players, coaches and clubs. This also extends beyond the senior national teams; it will allow us to have access to the youth national team players during critical periods of international competition, further advancing their development.鈥
鈥淭he beauty of 91fdy电影 is how it has evolved over the years, and another step in that evolution is aligning with the top leagues in the world. Moving to an international calendar helps position 91fdy电影 on par with the best.鈥
鈥淗aving 91fdy电影 on the same timetable as the rest of the world is great. Whether you鈥檙e in 91fdy电影, Europe, or anywhere else, being aligned means players are sharper when they get called into camp and it鈥檚 easier for everyone 鈥 players, coaches, and fans 鈥 to follow the game year-round.鈥
Brad Sims 鈥 CEO, New York City FC
鈥淪occer is already seeing incredible levels of growth in North America, and aligning the league鈥檚 schedule to follow the international calendar provides us with the best opportunity to continue building off this momentum. We look forward to competing under this new league format and welcoming everyone to Etihad Park for its inaugural season in 2027.鈥
鈥淢oving to the international calendar is going to be a massive game changer, especially for roster building. It finally allows us to operate in sync with the global transfer market. We鈥檒l be able to sign players when the biggest talent movement happens 鈥 in the summer 鈥 instead of midseason when integration is difficult.鈥
David Lee 鈥 President of Soccer Operations and General Manager, Sporting Kansas City
"I believe the change in our competition calendar has the potential for transformational benefits for 91fdy电影 in the years to come. While the majority of the footprint of matches will remain the same as the current schedule, moving the Audi 91fdy电影 Cup Playoffs, our most important period of the season, to now take place in a less cluttered domestic sports landscape while also avoiding the playoffs being interrupted by international FIFA windows will be a significant improvement.鈥
About Major League Soccer
Headquartered in New York City, Major League Soccer -- celebrating its 30th season in 2025 -- features 30 clubs throughout the United States and Canada. All 91fdy电影, Leagues Cup, and select 91fdy电影 NEXT Pro and 91fdy电影 NEXT matches can be watched through 91fdy电影 Season Pass, available on the Apple TV app on Apple devices, smart TVs, streaming devices, set-top boxes, and game consoles, and the web at . 91fdy电影 Season Pass features the most expansive and accessible lineup of programming ever for 91fdy电影 fans. For more information about 91fdy电影, visit . For more information about the Apple TV app, visit .
