MLS sets 14-game Sprint Season for 2027 calendar shift

Major League Soccer’s 2027 “Sprint Season” will begin Feb. 19 with Inter Miami hosting FC Cincinnati and serve as a one-time bridge to the league’s new summer-to-spring calendar, which begins in July 2027. Each of the 30 clubs will play 14 regular-season games against conference opponents, with seven at home and seven away; the season ends with Decision Day on May 8. The top eight teams in each conference will advance to single-elimination playoffs, culminating in MLS Cup over Memorial Day weekend. The schedule includes marquee rivalries such as El Tráfico and the Hudson River Derby, and the compressed format is intended to align MLS with the global soccer calendar. Matches will stream on Apple TV.