The 2025 Major League Soccer season isn’t over yet, but the league’s future has already undergone a major shift. On Thursday afternoon, MLS announced a sweeping overhaul to its competition calendar following a vote by team owners. Beginning in 2027, the league will transition to a new schedule that starts in mid-July and runs through the following May. This marks a seismic change for MLS, bringing its calendar in line with major global leagues such as the English Premier League, Spain’s La Liga, Italy’s Serie A, and Germany’s Bundesliga.

MLS also revealed that it will adopt a new regular-season format that “blends elements of the global game with North American sports traditions.” The league is additionally reviewing potential updates to the Audi MLS Cup Playoffs as part of its ongoing evaluation process, though no final decisions have been made.

“The calendar shift is one of the most important decisions in our history,” MLS Commissioner Don Garber said in a league statement. “Aligning our schedule with the world’s top leagues will strengthen our clubs’ global competitiveness, create better opportunities in the transfer market, and ensure our Audi MLS Cup Playoffs take center stage without interruption. It marks the start of a new era for our league and for soccer in North America.”

Here’s how the 2027–2028 season will be structured:

The 2027–2028 campaign will kick off in mid-to-late July 2027 and culminate with the MLS Cup Playoffs in late May 2028. Like several top European leagues, MLS will implement a midwinter break, pausing play from mid-December through early February. No league matches will be played in January.

Before the new calendar officially takes effect, MLS will hold a transition season running from February to May 2027. This shortened campaign will include a 14-match regular season, followed by playoffs and MLS Cup. The results from the transition year will determine qualification for the 2027 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup, Canadian Championship, Leagues Cup, and Concacaf Champions Cup.