MLS votes to align seasons with European calendar 

TROY HULL | THE CHARLOTTE POST

Major League Soccer leaders voted to adjust its season calendar to a summer-spring calendar that aligns with European leagues starting in 2027.

If you enjoy Charlotte FC matches on hot summer days, there will be fewer in the future.

After 30 years, the MLS Board of Governors voted Thursday to move the league schedule from late winter-to-fall to late summer-to-spring. The new format, expected to begin in summer 2027, will align MLS with the world’s top soccer leagues. The change must also be approved by the MLS Players Association. 

The 2027–28 regular season will kick off in mid-to-late July 2027 and conclude in late May 2028. It will include a winter break from mid-December through early February, with no matches scheduled in January. What that will mean for teams with harsher winter climates in the northeast and midwest is still to be determined.

The league says “it 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.”

While the start and end dates will change, the league says “the vast majority of MLS matches will still be played within the same general timeframe” as the current schedule. Their initial projections for 2027–28 indicate that 91% of matches will fall within the current MLS season window. The off-season would now essentially be six weeks for playoff teams from the end of May into July, part of which would become pre-season training.

A spokesman for Charlotte FC says the club is supportive of the change.

Currently, the only American professional league to use the international calendar is the women’s first division tier Gainbridge Super League, which includes the Carolina Ascent. The NWSL, currently in the playoffs of its 13th season, uses the winter-to-fall schedule similar to MLS.

“The calendar shift is one of the most important decisions in our history,” said MLS Commissioner Don Garber. “Aligning our schedule with the world’s top leagues will strengthen our clubs’ global competitiveness, create better opportunities in the transfer market, and ensure our Audi MLS Cup Playoffs take center stage without interruption. It marks the start of a new era for our league and for soccer in North America.”

Historically, professional outdoor soccer in the United States has been a summer game, primarily to separate it from NFL and college football schedules that dominate stadia and television from August to January. It was the standard operating procedure for the defunct North American Soccer League (1968-1984, 2011-2017) and American Soccer League (ASL 1921-1983).

The USL operates two professional tiers, the Division 2 Championship and Division 3 level USL One, which includes the Charlotte Independence, which are expected to remain on the spring-to-fall schedule. The announced USL Division 1 tier, proposed to begin in 2028, has yet to be officially sanctioned by U.S. Soccer.

The third-tier MLS Next Pro, which includes Crown Legacy, Charlotte FC’s developmental second team, also has non-MLS affiliated teams. The status of their schedule has not been changed but is under consideration.

Before the change, MLS will stage a transition season from February to May 2027, featuring a 14-game regular season, playoffs, and MLS Cup. The results will determine 2027 qualification for the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup, Canadian Championship, Leagues Cup, and Concacaf Champions Cup. 

Is this better? 

The key points laid out for the change, which have been much discussed for most of its history, are that it will a) optimize the global transfer market for players, especially during the summer transfer window, b) align with the FIFA international match calendar, ending conflicts with breaks for national team camps and competitions, and c) elevate the playoffs by holding them in May with better weather and less competition from other sports for attention.

The change, with the overlap of dates from the current structure to the new one, cannot be seamless. As such, MLS will stage a transitional mini-season from February to May 2027 with a 14-game regular season, playoffs, and MLS Cup. The results will determine 2027 qualification for the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup, Canadian Championship, Leagues Cup, and Concacaf Champions Cup.

According to MLS, the change follows a two-year review process that began in October 2023, incorporating feedback from owners, club executives, players, MLSPA, partners, and fans. Research conducted throughout the process revealed strong support for the shift, including 92% of viewers – defined as those who have watched at least one professional club soccer match during the most recent season.

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