MLS NEXT PRO TO SHIFT ITS COMPETITION CALENDAR IN 2027

MLS NEXT Pro announced today its plans to shift the League's competition calendar in 2027, to align with Major League Soccer and other top global soccer leagues. 

As a transition from the current calendar to the new Summer-to-Spring calendar, MLS NEXT Pro will feature an initial Sprint Season in February 2027 which will carry the weight of a traditional season. Every Club will play 14 regular season matches, running mid-February  through late April, followed by four rounds of playoffs and concluding with the MLS NEXT Pro Cup in late May. 

The inaugural 2027-28 MLS NEXT Pro season will consist of 28 regular season matches per Club, with the first half taking place from mid-July through mid-December. A winter break will be followed by the second half of the season, which will run from early February through early May. The ensuing MLS NEXT Pro Playoffs will culminate with the MLS NEXT Pro Cup in early June.   

With MLS NEXT Pro shifting its calendar to the Summer-to-Spring format, all three levels of the MLS player pathway will share the same calendar beginning in 2027-28. The continuity will provide additional opportunities for player movement between MLS, MLS NEXT Pro and MLS NEXT, in turn increasing player development opportunities and efficiencies. 

About MLS NEXT Pro 

Launched in 2022 by Major League Soccer, MLS NEXT Pro is a professional men’s soccer league in the United States and Canada that completes the pro player pathway from MLS NEXT to MLS first teams. MLS NEXT Pro continues to grow the game through innovation and access, bringing professional soccer to new communities and creating opportunities both on and off the field. MLS NEXT Pro celebrates its fifth season in 2026 with 30 teams, 27 MLS-affiliated and three independent, Carolina Core FC, Chattanooga FC and Connecticut United FC. Additional MLS-affiliated and independent clubs will join in the years ahead, including Forest City Cleveland, Jacksonville Armada FC, AC Grand Rapids, and The Island FC. For more information about MLS NEXT Pro, visit mlsnextpro.com.