A New Era of MLS Begins with the 2027 Sprint Season 

Major League Soccer has announced details of the 2027 MLS Sprint Season, a new, one-time shortened competition that will mark the beginning of the league's transition to a summer-to-spring calendar, aligning MLS with many of the world's top fútbol leagues. 

The 2027 Sprint Season will kick off in February and culminate with the Audi 2027 MLS Cup Playoffs and MLS Cup presented by Audi in May. 

In addition to crowning the 2027 MLS Cup champion, Sprint Season results will determine qualification for the 2028 Concacaf Champions Cup and the 2028 Leagues Cup. 

As part of the 2027 Sprint Season format, each MLS club will play 14 regular season matches from February through April, with seven games played at home at Nu Stadium and seven on the road, against Eastern Conference teams. These matches will be followed by playoffs, and ultimately the MLS Cup to crown the champion.  

At the conclusion of the 2027 Sprint Season regular season matches, the top eight teams from each conference will advance to the Audi 2027 MLS Cup Playoffs. 

The postseason will feature a single-elimination format within each conference to determine the Eastern and Western Conference champions, who will ultimately face off in the MLS Cup presented by Audi. 

The full 2027 Sprint Season schedule, including Inter Miami CF's home and away matchups, will be announced in the coming months.

What is the 2027 MLS Sprint Season? 

The 2027 MLS Sprint Season is the new, one-time shortened MLS season that will launch Major League Soccer’s transition to a new summer-to-spring competition calendar. The Sprint Season will take place from February through May of 2027, inclusive of the Audi 2027 MLS Cup Playoffs and 2027 MLS Cup presented by Audi, ahead of Major League Soccer’s new summer-to- spring calendar which will kick off in July of 2027.     

How many matches will teams play during the Sprint Season? 

Each club will play 14 regular season matches, split evenly between seven home and seven away games. In addition, eight teams from each conference will qualify for the Audi 2027 MLS Cup Playoffs.     

How will regular-season opponents be determined? 

All regular season matches in the 2027 Sprint Season will be played against conference opponents. Teams will play each of their 14 conference opponents one time during the 14-match Sprint Season.     

When will the full schedule be announced? 

The full schedule, including home and away matchups, will be released at a later date.     

How will the Audi MLS Cup Playoffs work during the Sprint Season? 

At the conclusion of the 2027 MLS Sprint Season regular season, the top eight teams in each conference, 16 teams total, will qualify for the Audi 2027 MLS Cup Playoffs. In each conference, the postseason will be played in a single-elimination bracket format to determine a conference champion. The Eastern Conference Champion and Western Conference Champion will then meet in the 2027 MLS Cup presented by Audi. All playoff games, including MLS Cup, will be hosted by the team with the higher position in the final 2027 Supporters’ Shield standings, creating even more urgency for results, including points, goals, and shutouts during the 14 Sprint Season regular season matches.     

How does the Sprint Season impact domestic cup competitions? 

MLS clubs will participate in both the 2028 Canadian Champions and 2028 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup. All three Canadian MLS clubs will continue to participate in the Canadian Championship. Further details regarding the 2028 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup format will be announced by U.S. Soccer at a later date.     

How many teams qualify for the 2028 Concacaf Champions Cup from the Sprint Season? 

Similar to previous seasons, MLS will qualify the following teams for the 2028 Concacaf Champions Cup via the result of the 2027 Sprint Season: 

• 2027 MLS Cup presented by Audi winner 

• 2027 Supporters’ Shield winner 

• 2027 MLS Eastern or Western Conference regular season winner 

• 2027 MLS Supporters' Shield next best club 

• 2027 MLS Supporters' Shield next best club

How will qualification for 2028 Leagues Cup be determined? 

The top nine teams from each conference determined in the 2027 Sprint Season will qualify for the 2028 Leagues Cup.

What change is MLS making to the calendar in summer 2027? 

Major League Soccer is making a shift in its competition calendar, aligning the league’s schedule with the world’s top fútbol leagues. Starting in July 2027, the 2027-28 MLS regular season will kick off in mid-July and conclude with the Audi MLS Cup Playoffs and MLS Cup presented by Audi in May of 2028. Like other major international leagues, MLS will take a winter break that will see a limited number of games played in December, no games played in January, and a limited number of games played in February, very similar to our current MLS footprint.     

What is the footprint of the 2027-28 season? 

The MLS regular season will kick off in July 2027 and conclude with the Audi MLS Cup Playoffs and MLS Cup presented by Audi in May 2028. Like many international leagues, MLS will take a winter break that will see a limited number of games played in December, no games played in January, and a limited number of games played in February, very similar to our current MLS footprint. 

How long will the winter break be in the 2027-28 season? 

Regular season play will pause in mid-December and no games will be played in January before matches resume in February. 

What are the benefits of this new calendar footprint? 

The new calendar offers several key benefits, which includes aligning with the FIFA international match calendar, significantly reducing conflicts between MLS league matches and national team call-ups, elevating the playoffs, optimizing the global transfer market for players, and maximizing player signings. 

How will this calendar shift impact other competitions like Concacaf Champions Cup, Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup, Canadian Championship and Leagues Cup)? 

A: The calendar shift does not impact Major League Soccer’s commitment to national and international Cup competitions. 

• 2028 Concacaf Champions Cup and 2028 Leagues Cup participants will be determined by the 2027 MLS Sprint Season. 

• All three Canadian MLS clubs will continue to participate in the 2028 Canadian Championship. 

• Further details regarding the 2028 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup format will be announced by U.S. Soccer at a later date.

How many games will be played in the 2027-28 MLS regular season? 

The regular season will continue to consist of 34 matches, the same as the current format. 

Will MLS be playing in any FIFA windows during the 2027-28 season? 

The new calendar is designed to significantly reduce conflicts between MLS league matches and national team call-ups for players in FIFA international match windows, and in summer tournaments such as Concacaf Gold Cup, Copa America, UEFA European Championships, and the FIFA World Cup. 

 
Will MLS change their regular season and playoff format for 2027-28? 

In conjunction with this transition, MLS is reviewing the current playoff format. More information on the playoff format will be announced at a later date.