MLS announces schedule for 2027 sprint season

MLS has published the fixtures for the 2027 sprint season. This shortened season will serve as a bridge for the league's move to a European calendar. Each team will play 14 matches, made up of one home and one away fixture. The season will kick off on February 19 with Inter Miami against FC Cincinnati.

The season finale will be played on May 8 on Decision Day. On that day, New York City FC will host New York Red Bulls in the Hudson River Derby. Because its new stadium in Queens is opening, NYCFC plans to play this match at Yankee Stadium, where it has been the home ground since 2015, as the last MLS match it can play there.

The league wants to offer a standout match every week. The Walmart Saturday Showdown and Sunday Night Soccer programs will return. Foreign stars such as Antoine Griezmann, Lionel Messi, Thomas Müller and Evander will face young players like Cavan Sullivan, Julian Hall, Adri Mehmeti and Peyton Miller.

The playoff system will also be tested during this period. The top eight teams from each conference will qualify for the playoffs, and every round will be played as a knockout. In the current system, the match between the eighth and ninth place teams and the three-match first-round series were criticized for their length. The five Concacaf Champions Cup spots will also be determined this way.

The transition will align MLS's transfer period with the rest of the world. The winter transfer window has long been a known problem. The issue of top players missing international breaks will also disappear. After the sprint season, the 2027/28 season will begin in July 2027 and end in May 2028 with the MLS Cup playoffs.