MLS Announcesโ Shift toโ International Calendar, Bringing League in Line with โฃGlobal Soccer Standards
major Leagueโข Soccer (MLS) is poised to overhaul โคits โขschedule, aligningโข with the international soccer calendar starting in โค2026. The move, announced today, will see the league transition from โคits current late Februaryโ to early December timeframe to a format mirroring top leagues worldwide – running from August to May.
this significant change โฃaims to elevate MLS’s standing on theโ globalโ stage,โฃ improve player availability for national teams, โขand streamline roster management for clubs.โฃ Currently,the MLS schedule operates outsideโฃ the typical August-May window observedโ in Europe and other major โsoccer confederations,creatingโ challenges for player transfers and national team โparticipation. The shift โwillโ impact players, coaches, clubs, and fans, and is expected to โfoster โgreater competitiveness and integration within the โฃinternational soccer ecosystem.
The alignment has drawn โpraise from prominent figures within the U.S. soccer community. Mauricio โคPochettino, Head Coach ofโ the U.S. Men’sโ National Team, stated, “This is a great step forward forโ MLS to be โขon par with the top leaguesโ in the worldโฆthe abilityโฃ to align with the international โขcalendar will have a hugeโฃ positive impact for the players, โคcoaches and clubs.”
Gregg Berhalter,Director of Football andโข Head Coach of Chicago fire FC,echoed this sentiment,noting,”Movingโข to an internationalโข calendar helps position MLS on parโค with the best.” Clint Dempsey, a celebrated MLS player and former U.S. Men’s national Teamโค Captain, emphasized the benefits for player performance, saying, “Having MLS on the sameโฃ timetable asโ the rest of the worldโ is โgreatโฆplayers are sharper when theyโ get called intoโ camp.”
The changeโฃ is also expected to revolutionize roster building. Will Kuntz,General managerโ of the โฃLA Galaxy,explained,”Moving โto the international calendarโฃ is going to be a massive game-changer,especiallyโฃ for roster-building. It finally allows us to operateโ in sync with the global transfer market. we’ll be โable to sign players when the biggest talent movement happens – in the summer – rather of midseason when integration โฃis difficult.”
The 2026 season will โฃmark the beginning of โคthis new era for MLS, with further details regarding the specific schedule adjustments to be released in the coming โขmonths.