MLS: a transitional season from February to April 2027 before the switch to a new calendar in 2027-28

Major League Soccer will organise a "sprint season" from February to April 2027 as part of the move away from a calendar-year format after the 2026 season to a new summer-to-spring calendar from 2027-28.

Each MLS franchise will play the 14 other teams in its conference in the regular season (seven home and seven away matches). The top eight teams from each of the two conferences (West and East) will qualify for the Audi 2027 MLS Cup Playoffs. A knockout phase will determine the two conference champions, who will face each other in the MLS Cup presented by Audi in May 2027, which will determine the champion of this sprint season.

This 2027 season will also determine the five franchises qualified for the 2028 Concacaf Champions Cup and the 18 for the 2028 Leagues Cup (nine per conference).

This transition will happen several months after the 2026 World Cup co-hosted by the United States (with Canada and Mexico). MLS had announced this change, "one of the most significant developments in the league’s history," in order to "align its calendar with top leagues around the world," on…