Radical new MLS league system with five divisions set to be introduced

Martin Macdonald

• Updated: 18 Dec 2025 04:37 CST
• 9 min read

Nieuws

Major League Soccer will completely revamp its format, possibly from the 2027 campaign onwards.

Currently, MLS begins with 30 teams contesting over two leagues, the Eastern Conference and the Western Conference, with 15 teams in each.

The winners of each conference earn a place in the CONCACAF Champions Cup, while the top seven in each conference qualify for round one of the MLS Playoffs.

Thereafter, the MLS Playoffs are contested by 16 teams who aim to reach the final and win the MLS Cup.

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In 2025, the MLS Cup was one by Lionel Messi’s Inter Miami.

The new proposals, as reported by the Athletic, outline five separate divisions that include six teams and they could be labelled geographically.

A new midwest division will include certain teams from the east and west, likely to be D.C. United and the San Jose Earthquakes.

The proposed divisions, which have not yet been confirmed, are:

- Portland Timbers, Seattle Sounders, Vancouver Whitecaps, San Jose Earthquakes, Real Salt Lake, Colorado Rapids

- LA Galaxy, LAFC, San Diego FC, Austin FC, Houston Dynamo, FC Dallas

- Chicago Fire, Minnesota United, St. Louis City SC, Sporting Kansas City, FC Cincinnati, Columbus Crew

- CF Montreal, Toronto FC, New England Revolution, New York Red Bulls, NYCFC, Philadelphia Union

- D.C. United, Nashville SC, Atlanta United, Charlotte FC, Inter Miami, Orlando City

Under the new divisional format, teams would play division opponents home and away and would also play every other league opponent once, with home and away responsibilities rotated.

MLS Calendar change coming

It has not been confirmed whether the division change will be implemented in 2027 when the MLS will revamp its calendar to match of elite European leagues.

The current MLS schedule takes place in just one calendar year, from February to December.

The regular season starts in February and runs through to October. Thereafter, the MLS playoffs take place, which includes the Conference Finals and then, ultimately, the MLS Cup.

Most European leagues start in the summer and run over the turn of the year before finishing in May. For example, the English Premier League begins in August and finishes in May.

The new plan for MLS will see the new regular season start in July of 2027 and run until April of 2028, with the playoffs set for May of 2028.

There are still plans to hold the 2027 MLS campaign, but it will take place as a "sprint season" of 14 games played between February and May. There will be a short summer break before the new schedule starts.

The new calendar will feature a summer break in June and July and a winter break over December and January.

Why is MLS changing?

This decision by MLS owners isn't simply to replicate the elite European leagues - there are sound business reasons behind the switch.

Currently, the MLS playoffs can be interrupted by FIFA's international break fixtures, something that will no longer happen. Crucially, the playoffs will no longer compete with NFL and college football matches for TV ratings.

“When we think of our existing footprints, we begin in the middle of February, as it is, and our Cup, even next year, will end, the third weekend of December,” MLS official Nelson Rodriguez said previously.

“And so the difference isn’t in the footprint, it’s in the volume of games within that footprint. Obviously, your playoffs have less number of matches than your regular season, but the period is the same. You’re in the playoffs, you’re playing in November. You qualify for Concacaf Champions Cup, you’re playing the first week of February. And so there’s no appreciable change there at all in our mind.

“In terms of the competition with the NFL and college football, right now, our playoffs are up against the last few weeks of the NFL season as it starts to reach its playoffs and its climax, (and) it’s up against college football championships. The weather is more challenging or can be less predictable at that time, and we have some stadium conflicts. Those are all alleviated with the playoffs in May. There’s no gridiron at all.

“Our stadium conflicts are far less. Our weather is prime, which makes our playing conditions prime. It’s not too hot, it’s not oppressive. Our fields will be in great shape. Our players will be ready to go.”

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