Major League Soccer will take a seven-week break next summer to accommodate the 2026 FIFA World Cup in the United States, Canada and Mexico.
The detail was revealed Thursday as MLS announced its 2026 calendar, detailing the opening night match between Inter Miami and LAFC at the LA Coliseum on Feb. 21 and the final day of the regular season on Nov. 7.
The 2026 MLS calendar also revealed Inter Miami and Lionel Messi will debut their new stadium, Miami Freedom Park, on April 4 when hosting Austin FC in the inaugural match. The Herons currently play at Chase Stadium in Fort Lauderdale, Florida.
– MLS switching schedule to align with world soccer
The league will pause from May 25 through July 16 as the World Cup takes place across North America to allow for players to report to their respective national teams. The league has previously only taken short pauses during the World Cup, with a nine-day break during the last summer World Cup in 2018 and two weeks off in 2014.
The World Cup begins on June 11 with the opening game in Mexico City.
«With a record number of MLS players expected on World Cup rosters, MLS will pause league play after matches on May 24, ahead of the FIFA mandatory player report date on May 25 and before resuming at the end of the international tournament,» said the league.
The MLS regular season will return on July 16, three days before the World Cup final, as certain teams participate in rivalry matches.
Inter Miami and LAFC will kick off the season before the rest of the clubs play across the country on Sunday, Feb. 22. Each team is set to play 34 matches, 17 at home and 17 on the road. As in previous seasons, clubs will continue playing conference opponents twice a year and participate in six different cross-conference games.
The regular season will now conclude on Nov. 7, titled Decision Day, before the playoffs begin on Nov. 18 following the FIFA international window to avoid interruptions during the postseason.
«Following Decision Day 2026 on November 7, the league will observe the November FIFA window before beginning one month of uninterrupted Audi 2026 MLS Cup Playoffs action, culminating in Major League Soccer’s championship match, 2026 MLS Cup.
«The complete postseason schedule will be announced at a later date,» the league said in a press release.
