MLS finally makes THE move

MLS makes a gamechanging move in announcing change to summer-to-fall schedule starting in 2027.

MLS Commissioner Don Garber announced Thursday that MLS owners voted to approve a proposed schedule change to adopt a summer-to-spring league calendar — the most substantial change to the league in the past decade.

Let’s get the technical stuff out of the way first, and I’ll be brief because many of you will already be informed about MLS’s dramatic announcement. Beginning in summer of 2027:

• Seasons will run from mid/late July to late May.

• MLS will observe a midwinter break from mid-December through early February, with no league matches scheduled in January.

• A 14-game “sprint season” will take place in the first half of 2027, cinluding its own playoffs and MLS Cup winner.

Atlanta United announced a statement in support of the decision:

“We fully support Major League Soccer’s decision to transition the competition calendar to the summer-to-spring model, further aligning with the top leagues globally and the FIFA International Match Calendar. This is a transformational shift providing unlimited growth potential for both our league and for the sport of soccer in the United States. Not only will this decision align our calendar with the rest of the world to ensure full participation in the global transfer market, but it also provides premier placement on the American sports calendar for our league’s biggest matches, MLS Cup Playoffs, to occur in May. We thank Commissioner Garber for his leadership and foresight to push through this historic evolution for MLS.”

Five Stripe Final can confirm that Tata Martino’s contract — originally slated to conclude at the end of 2027 — will endure through the first year of the new schedule that ends in May 2028.

MLS included quotes of support for the move in its press release from several other notable American soccer figures.

Mauricio Pochettino – Head Coach, U.S. Men’s National Team

“For sure this is a great step forward for MLS 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.”

Gregg Berhalter – Director of Football and Head Coach, Chicago Fire FC

“The beauty of MLS 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 MLS on par with the best.”

Clint Dempsey – Former U.S. Men’s National Team Captain and MLS Great

“Having MLS on the same timetable as the rest of the world is great. Whether you’re in MLS, Europe, or anywhere else, being aligned means players are sharper when they get called into camp and it’s easier for everyone – players, coaches, and fans – to follow the game year-round.”

Five Stripe Final asked Atlanta United Chief Sporting Officer Chris Henderson about the potential move during Tata Martino’s introductory press conference and declined to say anything specific about his preference for the league structure. So in lieu of that, listen to Columbus Crew General Manager Issa Tall and Head Coach Wilfried Nancy discuss the necessity of the move Thursday prior to the announcement:

There’s a lot here. Obviously Tall’s primary interest is in putting together the best roster possible, which is can be done in a more efficient manner on this newly-adopted calendar. Nancy’s primary concern expressed is the playoff format, something which is greatly influenced by the international breaks that league has to wait through during its current playoff schedule through October and November. Now, teams won’t have to deal with those breaks in the middle of its playoff season.

Ultimately, everything is a tradeoff. The current schedule has its pros and cons just as the new schedule. Personally, I gladly accept the trade of not having summer MLS games (which get interrupted by international games, by the way) for:

• Playoff games in springtime weather,

• extremely cold weather games for extremely hot and humid weather games (better soccer can be played in the cold)

• Competing with football season during the early portion of the schedule instead of the late portion,

• Not having to add or part with Designated Players in the middle of a season,

and probably a lot more that I’m forgetting. To me, it felt as if there was a cap on how popular MLS could become given the attention that is lost every fall when the pigskin takes center stage. It’s not to say the league won’t have its fair share of speed bumps and hiccups and maybe even some postponed games due to snowy weather. But ultimately the sport in this country will be far better off for making the move.