Positive news for American football? The MLS calendar set to shift in 2027 to align with top European leagues

The MLS is set to go through its first major change since 1995. (Image credits - Heute, License Details)

Major League Soccer (MLS) has decided to change its schedule to align with European football from 2027. The league is set to go through a switch to a summer-to-spring format, abandoning the previous February-to-December format.

The MLS will review this new process for two years before making it permanent, as it will help the league generate more views, attract players from Europe, and operate in parallel with the clubs across the globe during transfer windows.

This is the biggest change in the top-flight league of the North American continent since 1995. Football fans across America are cherishing this moment as a new era for American football.

The US men’s team head coach Mauricio Pochettino applauded the decision, saying,

"This is a great step forward for MLS to be on par with the top leagues in the world.” (sic)

He further added, "The ability to align with the international calendar will have a huge positive impact for the players, coaches and clubs.” (sic)

The new scheduling is also structured in a way to reduce clashes during international breaks and continental competitions in the summer. The MLS has also decided to shift the end-of-season play-offs to May to generate more crowds and avoid stadium-related clashes with the NFL, as both leagues share the same stadiums.

The league owners are also planning to change the regular season format into a single-table format like in Europe, which would attract lots of viewers worldwide and pull players as well. 

This would be a drastic change from traditional American sports culture, where the clubs are divided into Eastern and Western Conferences.

The only drawback of this change would be that the league would have to continue during the FIFA World Cup 2026 scheduled to take place next summer in the United States, Canada and Mexico, limiting viewership of the MLS.

However, with top American players playing in the MLS and vice versa, featuring in continental competitions like the FIFA Club World Cup, it is a positive decision by the MLS to switch the campaign schedule.