MLS Continues Play During International Breaks Due to Unique Calendar

The Major League Soccer (MLS) continues to play its matches even during international breaks when many of its star players, including Lionel Messi and Israeli internationals like Dor Turgeman, are away with their national teams. This unusual scheduling is a direct result of the league's unique calendar, which traditionally runs from the beginning of the calendar year to its end, unlike most major European leagues that operate on an autumn-to-spring schedule.

This year, the 2026 MLS season began on February 21 and will conclude in November. Consequently, September's international break falls in the middle of the regular season. While European leagues naturally integrate national team windows between halves of their seasons, MLS games proceed even with key players absent, forcing teams to compete without their top talent as the league standings battle continues.

However, this scheduling anomaly is set to change. Starting in the summer of 2027, the MLS will adopt a spring-to-fall calendar, aligning it with most major global football leagues. The new season will commence in July 2027 and conclude in May 2028, featuring a winter break. This transition aims to synchronize with FIFA's international match calendar, significantly reducing conflicts with national team call-ups and allowing teams to field more complete squads.

A transitional "sprint season" will take place in early 2027, featuring 14 regular-season games before playoffs and the final in May. Following this, the first full season under the new structure, the 2027/28 season, will begin in July 2027, marking the MLS's departure from its long-standing, distinct calendar.