The MLS Cup Playoffs begin Wednesday, November 18, 2026, and end with MLS Cup on Friday, December 18, the last championship Major League Soccer will play in December. The league then stages a one-time Sprint Season from February 19, 2027, with a second MLS Cup on Memorial Day Weekend, before its first summer-to-spring season starts in July.
Key Takeaways
- The 2026 MLS Cup Playoffs run four consecutive weeks, from Wild Card matches on November 18 to MLS Cup on Friday, December 18.
- The top nine teams in each conference qualify, and the MLS Cup finalist with the better regular-season record hosts the final.
- The MLS Board of Governors approved the move to a summer-to-spring calendar on November 13, 2025.
- The 2027 Sprint Season kicks off February 19, 2027, with 14 regular-season matches through May 8 and MLS Cup on Memorial Day Weekend.
- Sprint Season results decide five 2028 Concacaf Champions Cup berths and 18 places in the 2028 Leagues Cup.
- The first summer-to-spring season begins in July 2027 and ends with MLS Cup in May 2028, with no league matches in January.
The 2026 MLS Cup Playoffs Run Four Straight Weeks to December 18
Major League Soccer closed its regular season with Decision Day on November 7, then paused for the November FIFA international window. The MLS Cup Playoffs open November 18 with Wild Card matches, followed by Round One best-of-three series from November 20 to December 2, conference semifinals on December 5 and 6, and conference finals on December 11 and 12. MLS Cup follows in primetime on Friday, December 18, hosted by the finalist with the better regular-season record.
Unlike past postseasons, the 2026 playoffs run without a break once they begin. The season itself was shaped by a summer that included life after the 2026 World Cup for one of soccer’s biggest stars and a domestic schedule built around the tournament held across North America.
The Bracket Is Set After Decision Day
The top nine teams from the Eastern and Western Conferences qualified. Seeds eight and nine in each conference meet in single-elimination Wild Card matches, and the winners advance to face their conference’s top seed. MLS released the Round One schedule on November 8; the round concludes November 24, when No. 3 San Jose Earthquakes host No. 5 Houston Dynamo FC. Every playoff match streams on the league’s broadcast partner, with the final also airing on national television in the United States and Canada.
MLS Approved a Summer-to-Spring Calendar in November 2025
The MLS Board of Governors approved the calendar change and a new regular-season structure on November 13, 2025, at a meeting in Palm Beach, Florida. The league’s stated reasons include better alignment with international transfer windows, alignment with the FIFA calendar and moving the playoffs out of cold-weather months. Commissioner Don Garber said the shift would strengthen the league’s position in the global transfer market and let the MLS Cup Playoffs take center stage without interruption.
Timing is part of the case. Under the current calendar, the playoffs compete for attention in a crowded window that includes college football’s postseason and an NFL season that opened in September with a Super Bowl rematch. Moving the postseason to May gives MLS a spring finish with fewer competing championships.
The 2027 Sprint Season Brings a Second MLS Cup by Memorial Day Weekend
To bridge the two calendars, MLS will play a one-time 2027 Sprint Season. According to the league’s October 29 schedule release, the season opens Friday, February 19, 2027, and the regular season ends with Decision Day on Saturday, May 8. Each club plays 14 matches, one against every conference opponent, with seven at home and seven away.
The top eight teams in each conference qualify for a single-elimination playoff, and the 2027 MLS Cup is scheduled for Memorial Day Weekend, May 29 to 31. The Sprint Season carries full competitive weight: its results determine five berths in the 2028 Concacaf Champions Cup and 18 places in the 2028 Leagues Cup, nine from each conference.
The First Summer-to-Spring Season Starts in July 2027
The 2027-28 regular season kicks off in July 2027 and ends with the MLS Cup Playoffs and MLS Cup in May 2028. Like many leagues abroad, MLS will observe a midwinter break from mid-December to early February, with no league matches in January. MLS NEXT Pro is making the same shift, so all three levels of the league’s player pathway will share one calendar starting in 2027-28.
| Period | What Happens |
|---|---|
| November 18 to December 18, 2026 | 2026 MLS Cup Playoffs and MLS Cup |
| February 19 to May 8, 2027 | Sprint Season regular season (14 matches) |
| May 29 to 31, 2027 | 2027 MLS Cup (Memorial Day Weekend) |
| July 2027 to May 2028 | First summer-to-spring season |
The Transition Changes How Fans Plan Their Seasons
For supporters, the result is an unusual 18 months: a December final, a short spring season with its own champion, and then a season that spans two calendar years. Clubs are adjusting ticket packages to match. Some are bundling the Sprint Season and the 2027-28 season into a single membership before returning to a standard format, and fans should expect their club’s renewal details to reflect the new calendar.
FAQs
When Is MLS Cup 2026?
MLS Cup 2026 is on Friday, December 18, 2026, in primetime. The finalist with the better regular-season record hosts the match.
When Do the 2026 MLS Cup Playoffs Start?
The playoffs start Wednesday, November 18, 2026, with Wild Card matches, and run four consecutive weeks to MLS Cup on December 18.
What Is the 2027 MLS Sprint Season?
The Sprint Season is a one-time transition season from February 19 to May 2027. Each team plays 14 regular-season matches, followed by playoffs and an MLS Cup on Memorial Day Weekend.
When Does MLS Switch to a Summer-to-Spring Calendar?
The first summer-to-spring season starts in July 2027 and ends with MLS Cup in May 2028. The MLS Board of Governors approved the change on November 13, 2025.
