MLS Continues Play During International Break Due to Unique Calendar

The Major League Soccer (MLS) continues to play games during the current international break, a situation that differs from most major European leagues. This is because the MLS operates on a calendar year schedule, running from February to November, meaning September's international window falls in the middle of its regular season. Consequently, teams often play without their key players who have been called up to their national teams, including prominent figures like Lionel Messi and Israeli players such as Dor Turgeman.

This unique scheduling has been a hallmark of North American soccer for years. The current 2024 season began on February 21 and will conclude in November, with the only significant pre-planned break being for the FIFA World Cup. Unlike European leagues where international breaks naturally fit between segments of the season, the MLS's breaks occur mid-regular season, forcing clubs to adapt to playing without their stars while the league standings battle continues.

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

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. This move marks the end of the MLS's distinctive calendar and its adoption of a schedule more in line with international soccer standards.