MLS unveils 2027 ‘sprint season’ schedule with Feb. 19 start in Miami and MLS Cup on Memorial Day weekend

Major League Soccer has announced its 2027 “sprint season” schedule, which will begin on 19 February when Inter Miami hosts FC Cincinnati at Nu Stadium, and will conclude with MLS Cup during Memorial Day weekend at the end of May (28-31 May).

The stopgap half-season precedes a full calendar inversion designed to align the league with most top competitions globally beginning with the 2027-28 season; the nuts and bolts of that change were initially announced in March. The announcement comes as Larry Berg prepares to take over as commissioner after Don Garber’s decades-long reign, and the schedule inversion is described as better positioning the league in the global transfer market.

The sprint season opens in Miami on 19 February with Inter Miami versus FC Cincinnati. Other highlighted fixtures include the Canadian Classique between Toronto FC and CF Montréal on 28 February, the Cascadia Derby between Seattle Sounders and Portland Timbers on 4 April, and the Hell is Real Derby between FC Cincinnati and Columbus Crew on 24 April.

Teams will play only opponents from within their conference, producing a 14-game regular-season slate with an even split of home and away matches. The calendar will use some midweek (Wednesday) dates while still allowing occasional matchday breaks and will span 17 matchweeks in total. Decision Day is set for 8 May, when each conference will play its full slate concurrently in consecutive time slots.

The postseason will feature the top eight teams in each conference qualifying for a single-elimination bracket. MLS Cup is planned for Memorial Day weekend (28-31 May). Every match from kickoff through the championship will be streamed on Apple TV without local blackouts.

The schedule also provides opportunities to test late-winter kickoffs in colder markets at earlier local hours. Minnesota United will open a week later than the rest of the league on 28 February, hosting Seattle for a 2 pm local kickoff, and CF Montréal will play only one of their first six matches at home.

Despite uncertainty about their long-term future, the Vancouver Whitecaps are included in the sprint season schedule, and Thomas Müller has announced he will remain with the club for the sprint.

Decision Day on 8 May will determine the top eight teams from each conference who advance to the single-elimination postseason that culminates in MLS Cup over Memorial Day weekend (28-31 May).