MLS to shift to European schedule in 2027

Consistency across markets (and less competition at home)

The big draw of MLS's schedule change is alignment. Today, the league exists out of step from its European peers, and with different start dates, break times and transfer windows than Europe, MLS clubs have struggled to trade players across markets. The schedule shift will eliminate that struggle.

"For sure, this is a great step forward for MLS to be on par with the top leagues in the world," said U.S. Men's National Team coach Mauricio Pochettino. "The ability to align with the international calendar will have a huge positive impact for the players, coaches and clubs."

The schedule shift will also move the MLS Playoffs to a calmer part of the U.S. sports calendar. Currently, the playoffs compete with the NFL and college football; with this change, they'll take place in May, well outside the football season.

Questions for northern teams

While this shift is long overdue, it raises key questions for the league's northernmost teams, most of whom play in non-climate-controlled stadiums. CF Montreal, Toronto FC, the New England Revolution, Minnesota United and more will have to manage severe winter weather on a regular basis. 

MLS teams still derive a large chunk of their revenue from gate receipts; with casual fans unlikely to brave winter weather, northern teams could be in for a serious financial hit.

To combat that, MLS intends to run a winter break from mid-December to early February. Additionally, it plans to schedule away games for its northernmost teams during the trickiest weather months of the season.

A step forward or a step backward?

There's plenty to like about this schedule change, but it's not without controversy.

In choosing to switch, MLS is abandoning the unique North American market that birthed it. When the league was established in 1996, it was founded on the principle of delivering high-quality American soccer, not a carbon copy of the European game. Through all its ups and downs, MLS has stuck to that idea. When European soccer faced financial imbalance, MLS leaned hard into salary caps and roster rules. When European soccer lost its local flavor amid international expansion, MLS pitched itself as a hyper-local league celebrating 30 wildly different markets.

This schedule change is just one step toward Europe, but it may turn out to be a fateful one. Longtime fans have stood by MLS because it offered something different than the European league experience. If the league keeps moving down this path, those longtime fans may not follow.

MLS's schedule change will take place in 2027. The league will delay its usual February start to July to accommodate the shift.