The Major League Soccer (MLS) will adjust its schedule for the 2026 season, taking a seven-week break to coincide with the FIFA World Cup to be held in the United States, Canada, and Mexico.
The official announcement revealed that the regular season will begin on February 21st with an inaugural match between Inter Miami and LAFC at the Los Angeles Coliseum. The season will conclude on November 7th.
The league will suspend its activities from May 25 to July 16, thus allowing players to join their national teams to participate in the World Cup. In the past, MLS had only made short breaks during the tournament, such as a nine-day break in 2018 and two weeks in 2014.
With a record number of MLS players on World Cup rosters, MLS will pause league play after the matches of May 24, before the FIFA mandatory player release date of May 25 and before resuming at the end of the international tournament.
League statement
MLS pausará el juego por varias semanas durante la Copa del Mundo de 2026.The return of the regular season is scheduled for July 16, three days before the World Cup final. Some teams are expected to participate in rivalry matches.
Each team will play 34 games, 17 at home and 17 away. Teams will continue to face their conference opponents twice a year and will participate in six inter-conference games.
The regular season will culminate on November 7th with “Decision Day”, followed by the playoffs starting on November 18th, once the FIFA international window is over, to avoid interruptions during the postseason.
The league will observe the FIFA window in November before starting a month of uninterrupted playoffs, culminating with the MLS Cup 2026 final.
Additionally, the MLS calendar for 2026 reveals that Inter Miami will debut its new stadium, Miami Freedom Park, on April 4, facing Austin FC in the inaugural match. Currently, the team plays at Chase Stadium in Fort Lauderdale, Florida.
