The 2027 Major League Soccer sprint season will begin on February 19 with a one‑off match between Inter Miami CF and FC Cincinnati at Nu Stadium in Miami. The kickoff is scheduled for 8 p.m. Eastern Time on Friday, with the remainder of the opening matchday taking place on Saturday, February 20 and Sunday, February 21. The event marks the launch of a temporary, condensed competition that will run through May before the league transitions to its new summer‑to‑spring schedule.
The sprint season will feature 14 intra‑conference fixtures, giving each club seven home and seven away games against opponents from the same conference. The format is designed to realign the MLS calendar and provide a shorter, more focused competition that culminates in the MLS Cup playoffs in May. After the regular season, the top eight teams from each conference will enter a single‑elimination bracket to decide the Eastern and Western conference champions. Those two teams will then meet in the 2027 MLS Cup to crown the league’s champion.
Beyond the domestic title, the results of the sprint season will also determine qualification for international competitions. The standings will influence which clubs earn spots in the 2028 Concacaf Champions Cup and the 2028 Leagues Cup, adding an extra layer of significance to the early‑season matches. The league has emphasized that the sprint season will produce a May MLS Cup champion, while other outcomes will shape the 2028 international slate.
MLS officials will release the full 2027 sprint season schedule on October 29 at 2 p.m. Eastern Time. The 2027‑28 MLS season itself will commence in July, following the sprint competition, and will conclude with a title match in May 2028. Fans can look forward to a compact, high‑stakes opening to the season, with the promise of a traditional spring finale once the new calendar takes effect.