Just hours after news broke that MLS and Apple are removing the MLS Season Pass paywall beginning next season, making the league more widely accessible for viewers, the premier American soccer league unveiled another transformational shift.
On Thursday, MLS announced it would be shifting its calendar to align with the top soccer leagues around the globe beginning in 2027. The new schedule will see MLS kickoff in July, break for winter in December and January, and contest the MLS Cup Playoffs in May.
From a media perspective, the shift will allow MLS to avoid competition from college and pro football during the most pivotal portions of its season. Currently, the MLS Cup Playoffs are contested during the heart of football season, when most American sports viewers are focused on the gridiron rather than the pitch. Now, the league will begin its regular season in July, a point in the calendar with little competition outside of regular season baseball, and crown a champion in May, before the most important portions of the NBA and NHL playoffs.
To accommodate the change, MLS will play a condensed transition season in the spring of 2027 that will feature a 14-game regular season followed by the MLS Cup Playoffs in May.
Another added benefit of the shift should be the quality of players MLS is able to attract. The current calendar often conflicts with international windows, meaning top players are regularly called up for national team duty and miss MLS games. Additionally, aligning with other top leagues will allow MLS clubs to be more competitive in the transfer market.
Between the calendar shift and dropping the MLS Season Pass paywall, MLS is making aggressive and strategic moves to maximize its exposure and capitalize on a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity with the World Cup being hosted in North America next year.