MLS reveals 2027 sprint season schedule ahead of shift to European calendar — SkimNews
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- MLS released the 2027 sprint season schedule: 14 regular-season matches per team, seven home and seven away, opening Feb. 19 with Inter Miami against FC Cincinnati and closing on Decision Day, May 8, with the Hudson River Derby between NYCFC and the New York Red Bulls.
- NYCFC is set to play its final game at Yankee Stadium on Decision Day as it opens a new stadium in Queens, ending a run at the venue the club has used since joining MLS in 2015.
- Audi MLS Cup Playoffs will now include the top eight teams from each conference in a single-elimination format, replacing the wild card game and best-of-three first round; the playoff schedule is not yet announced, and five Concacaf Champions Cup berths will be settled before clubs return to full participation in the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup.
- MLS wants a marquee matchup every week, with another season of the Walmart Saturday Showdown and Sunday Night Soccer, and stars such as Lionel Messi, Antoine Griezmann, Thomas Muller and Evander set against newcomers including Cavan Sullivan, Julian Hall, Adri Mehmeti and Peyton Miller.
- Leagues Cup qualification rises to 18 teams in 2027, nine from each conference, with the places determined by the sprint season results.
- MLS says the split calendar targets three frictions: teams have struggled to send players to America during the league's winter-primary transfer window, clubs face pressure to sell their best players midseason, and international-break stoppages have meant playing without top players — though harsh winters carry risks comparable to the summer thunderstorms and extreme heat the league already endures.
- MLS Cup playoffs will begin with the 2027-28 season kicking off in July 2027 and run through May 2028, mirroring when most European leagues finish.
Why it matters: For MLS clubs, the July 2027 start aligns the league's primary transfer window with Europe's, ending the long-standing problem of teams not being able to send players to America during the winter window. It also cuts the regular season to 14 games and the playoffs to single elimination, shortening the road to the MLS Cup title.
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