MLS to adopt European calendar; full season starts mid‑July 2027

Major League Soccer (MLS) will shift its competition calendar to match the standard European season, the league announced as it prepares one of the biggest schedule changes in its history. The new structure will take full effect in the summer of 2027.

Transition plan and winter pause

The first full MLS season under the new calendar will be the 2027/2028 campaign, which is set to begin in mid‑July 2027 and conclude in May 2028. Competition will include a planned winter break: play will stop in mid‑December, there will be no matches during January, and the league will resume in February.

Before the inaugural full season, MLS will stage a special transitional competition that runs from February to May 2027. That shortened campaign will feature 14 regular‑season matches for clubs, followed by playoff rounds culminating in the MLS Cup.

The calendar change is intended to align MLS with Europe’s top leagues and to create operational advantages for North American clubs on the international market. A primary goal is to synchronize MLS clubs with the European summer transfer window, easing both incoming and outgoing transfers.

League officials also say the new schedule should reduce overlap between MLS fixtures and FIFA international windows, particularly during major tournaments, by concentrating the domestic season outside the coldest months.

MLS joins other competitions that have already moved toward a Europe‑style schedule; Japan’s J.League switched to an August‑to‑May format beginning with the 2026/2027 season. The North American change marks a significant realignment in global club football calendars.

Photo: press material from the event