Major League Soccer will be shifting its schedule to align the league’s schedule with the world’s top soccer leagues. Starting in the Summer of 2027, MLS will adopt a summer-to-spring season format, the league announced Thursday. The calendar transition and the new regular season structure were approved during today’s MLS Board of Governors meeting in Palm Beach, Florida.The league will also review potential adjustments to its MLS Cup Playoffs format as part of an ongoing evaluation process but has not yet finalized any changes. MLS is continuing to work with the MLS Players Association (MLSPA) to finalize agreement on a transition plan.“The calendar shift is one of the most important decisions in our history,” said MLS Commissioner Don Garber. “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.”The 2027–28 MLS regular season will kick off in mid-to-late July 2027 and conclude with the MLS Cup Playoffs and MLS Cup Final in late May 2028. Similar to many other major international leagues, MLS will observe a midwinter break from mid-December through early February, with no league matches scheduled in January.Prior to the new calendar change, MLS will stage a transition season from February to May 2027, featuring a 14-game regular season, playoffs, and MLS Cup. The results will determine 2027 qualification for the U.S. Open Cup, Canadian Championship, Leagues Cup, and CONCACAF Champions Cup.These changes are part of a two-year review process that started back in October 2023. Initial projections for the 2027–28 season indicate that 91% of matches will fall within the current MLS season window.Another key change of the calendar will significantly reduce conflicts between MLS league matches and national team call-ups for players, particularly during summer tournaments. Some of MLS’ match weekends this past season have fallen on the international break for many other top leagues.Additional details regarding the 2027 transition season, 2027–28 regular season, and new competition formats will be announced at a later date.The switch to the new format will not affect the 2026-27 MLS schedule.