Big changes could be in store for MLS in the coming years with the World Cup just around the corner.
According to The Athletic’s Tom Bogert and Paul Tenorio, an owner’s vote on changing the league calendar to match that of European leagues — from fall to spring — could happen on Thursday. If approved, 2027 would be the first season in which the change comes into effect.
The big question, of course, is weather. MLS is reportedly looking to (at least) partially account for this by introducing a winter break in December and January.
But there’s another possible item that could be up for a vote.
Per Bogert and Tenorio, rather than having teams split up between conferences, owners could vote on creating a single-table format. Under the new format, clubs would be grouped in one of five geographically-based divisions and play those teams both home and away. The remaining clubs would make up the rest of the schedule.
As far as the playoffs, a revised format is “still being debated,” per Bogert and Tenorio, but those would be held in May.
MLS faces a massive year in 2026 as it hopes to capitalize on the World Cup being held on U.S., Canadian, and Mexican soil. A move to a fall-to-spring calendar has been the biggest change up for discussion in recent months, while the single-table format is a new wrinkle that hasn’t been originally reported.
We also haven’t heard of further changes to roster building and construction. Theoretically, if MLS desires to move to a fall-to-spring calendar to align with the European transfer window, it will need to take a closer look at its byzantine roster rules.
What do you think of these changes? Let us know in the comments.
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I see 2 issues with shifting the season here in the US, things I feel like some aren’t accounting for.
I heard of the issues some international players had when coming and playing here and it’s again because the rest of the world does things one way and we do things another. We don’t all have to be the same, especially the playoff format (I actually like it, it makes it more exciting IMO instead of it just being another game or the season just ends.
Two words: Apertura and Clausura
Think it’s a great idea. College football and NFL handle the winter just fine. And they can tilt the schedule to have the northern teams play more away games in the coldest period. I’m effective now excited about fixing the playoff format, which is currently nonsensical.
Only 2 domed stadiums in MLS, and the other one is Vancouver. I don’t really know, but I’d guess extreme cold is harder to deal with for soccer players than football due to the nature of the uniform padding and headgear. I think there would have to be some schedule tilting and extra time built into the schedule to make up games lost to inclement weather.
That said, it would make sense on a lot of levels for MLS to play the same Fall-Spring schedule as Europe and other leagues.
Honest question, that I haven’t looked into at all. Many/most of European leagues are further north than a majority of the states, and they (obviously) play fall-spring. How do they account for cold/snowy weather? Do they not have the same issues of at least snowfall because of geography? Are they just not bothered at all about the weather since they all experience the same climate so it’s an even playing field?
https://www.livescience.com/planet-earth/weather/why-do-european-cities-have-milder-winters-than-those-in-north-america-despite-being-at-the-same-latitude
I had a suspicion something like that might be the case, but I didn’t know for sure. Thanks!
Don’t know how well a fall-spring calendar would work even with a winter break (some of those northern locations get pretty cold and snowy even in late February), but it would be great to have the schedule set so that teams are not playing over international breaks (when all of their DPs are gone), and to align with the trading windows others use. I also agree that changes to roster construction would be great (but don’t go crazy and allow some of the economic disasters that go on in the European leagues – especially the English leagues).
Man, I’ve been advocating for this for a Loooooooooooong time. Start the season in California, Florida, Georgia, SC and TX. Also Vancouver because of the Dome at BC place. That means the midwest and northern teams will begin their seasons on the road but get to finish with great home stands (3 of last 5 at home). I used to have a spread sheet on this when MLS had fewer teams. It’s an idea whose time has come.
The league makes the valid point that heat in the southern summer is as bad as cold in the northern winter.