Lionel Messi's Inter Miami to open 2027 MLS Sprint Season vs. FC Cincinnati on Feb. 19

Sprint season format

The 2027 MLS Spring Season will be the first of its kind, with each team playing 14 regular season matches. Each club will face its 14 conference opponents once, playing seven games at home and seven on the road. The league will then hold its postseason, which will have significant implications despite the abbreviated schedule.

The MLS Cup playoffs will determine qualification to the CONCACAF Champions Cup and Leagues Cup, while the winners will also seal a place in history as league champions.

The start of the season

The league's Spring Season will kick off on the weekend of Feb. 19. The league's opener will be a match between Inter Miami and FC Cincinnati in South Florida, with 13 additional matches set to be played across that Saturday and Sunday.

Among the opening week matchups are a clash between Supporters' Shield winners Nashville SC and New York City FC as well as a California clash between San Diego FC and LAFC in Los Angeles.

The late season

The league’s regular season will conclude with Decision Day on May 8, with all Eastern Conference matches set to kick off three hours before the same happens for teams in the West. The schedule will be headlined by a Hudson River Derby between New York City FC and the New York Red Bulls, while playoff spots could be up for grabs right up until that final day due to the nature of the schedule.

Following Decision Day, the postseason will feature the top eight teams in each conference. A single-elimination tournament will determine the two conference winners, who will face off in MLS Cup on Memorial Day weekend. The full postseason schedule will be announced at a later date.

What comes next?

Before the focus turns towards the spring season, MLS still has to wrap up the 2026 campaign. Each team still has two matches to play before the start of the MLS Playoffs in November.