Trending Now - MLS Unveils 2027 Sprint Season Format With 14 Matches
WHO:
Major League Soccer (MLS)
Don Garber, MLS commissioner
WHAT:
The 2027 Sprint Season will consist of a fully in-conference slate, with Western Conference teams only playing Western Conference teams and Eastern Conference teams only playing Eastern Conference teams.
The 2027 Sprint Season will last just under three months, from February to April 2027.
The 2027 Sprint Season will determine five berths into the 2028 Concacaf Champions Cup based on the results of the regular season and playoffs.
A total of 18 teams, nine from each conference, will qualify for the 2028 Leagues Cup based on their performance in the Sprint Season.
The 2027 Sprint Season will consist of 30 franchises participating in the 14-game regular season.
The winners of the Eastern and Western Conference will meet in the championship match in late May 2027.
MLS announced the 2027 Sprint Season, a new format for the league.
The Sprint Season will consist of 14 regular season games for each team.
Each team will play seven home games and seven away games.
The top eight teams from the Eastern Conference and the top eight teams from the Western Conference will qualify for the Audi 2027 MLS Cup Playoffs.
The playoffs will be conducted in a single-elimination bracket format.
The winners of each conference will meet in the 2027 MLS Cup.
Five Concacaf Champions Cup berths will be determined by the results of the Sprint Season.
18 teams will qualify for the Leagues Cup, with nine from each conference.
WHERE:
Major League Soccer operates in the United States and Canada.
WHEN:
The 2026 MLS Cup final will be played on Friday, December 18th, 2026, which is later than any previous decider.
The 2027 Sprint Season will run from February to May 2027.
The new MLS regular season format will begin in July 2027 and conclude in May 2028.
The league will pause for a winter break from mid-December 2027 through early February 2028.
WHY:
The shift to a summer-to-spring schedule was approved in November 2025, marking a significant change for the league, which has operated on a winter-to-fall schedule since its inception in 1996.
The calendar shift aims to align MLS with the world’s top soccer leagues.
The change is intended to strengthen clubs' global competitiveness and create better opportunities in the transfer market.
HOW:
DC United signed former US international goalkeeper Sean Johnson, with his contract guaranteed through June 2027.
Nashville SC made speculative signings of Shak Mohammed and Isaiah LeFlore, which included team options for both the 2027 Sprint Season and the 2027-28 campaign.
The top nine finishers in each conference will qualify for the 2028 Leagues Cup, which includes all 18 teams in Mexico’s Liga MX.
The Sprint Season will feature intra-conference play, with each team facing its 14 conference opponents once.
(UPDATED March 20, 2026 07:19 UTC)
In a significant update for soccer fans, the 2027 Sprint Season will feature a fully in-conference format, with teams from the Western Conference facing only each other and the same for the Eastern Conference, running from February to April 2027. This season will be crucial, as it will determine five berths for the 2028 Concacaf Champions Cup and allow 18 teams, nine from each conference, to qualify for the 2028 Leagues Cup based on their performance. In player news, DC United has signed former US international goalkeeper Sean Johnson with a contract guaranteed through June 2027, while Nashville SC has made speculative signings of Shak Mohammed and Isaiah LeFlore, including team options for the upcoming Sprint Season and the following campaign.
--
(UPDATED March 20, 2026 01:25 UTC)
In a historic move, the 2026 MLS Cup final is set to take place on December 18, 2026, marking the latest date for a championship match in league history. The 2027 Sprint Season will feature 30 franchises competing in a 14-game regular season, with the winners of the Eastern and Western Conference facing off in the championship match scheduled for late May 2027. This shift to a summer-to-spring schedule, approved in November 2025, is a significant change for the league, which has traditionally followed a winter-to-fall format since its start in 1996, and will see the top nine finishers from each conference qualify for the 2028 Leagues Cup alongside all 18 teams from Mexico’s Liga MX.
--
(UPDATED March 19, 2026 23:13 UTC)
Major League Soccer has announced a new format for the league called the 2027 Sprint Season, which will consist of 14 regular season games for each team, with seven home and seven away matches. The top eight teams from both the Eastern and Western Conferences will qualify for the Audi 2027 MLS Cup Playoffs, which will follow a single-elimination bracket format, culminating in the 2027 MLS Cup. This new schedule, running from February to May 2027, aims to align MLS with the world’s top soccer leagues and enhance the global competitiveness of its clubs.