Toronto/CMEDIA: Unveiling its 2026 schedule, Major League Soccer reportedly announces a seven-week break for the FIFA World Cup.
Starting on Feb. 21 with all 30 teams in action, the regular season will wrap on Nov. 7, followed by playoffs.
Facing six different cross-conference teams, each club will play its conference opponents twice, once at home and once on the road.
Included as host cities for the tournament are several MLS markets, including Vancouver and Toronto , which kicks off in Guadalajara and Mexico City on July 11 and ends with the final at MetLife Stadium in Rutherford, N.J. on July 19.
Next season will be the final time the league begins and ends play in the winter, with MLS flipping its calendar to begin in summer and end in spring starting in 2027.
The move is aimed at aligning the league with the schedules of its European counterparts and FIFA’s international competition windows, but concerns have been raised about how it would affect northern teams, including CF Montréal and Toronto FC.
MLS is planning to hold a “transition season” from February to May 2027.
Included in that season are a 14-game regular season, playoffs and an MLS Cup, and the results will determine which clubs qualify for the Canadian Championship, the U.S. Open Cup, Leagues Cup and the CONCACAF Champions Cup.
Including a winter break from mid-Dec through to the beginning or middle of Feb, the revamped calendar will reveal no games being played in Jan, and another break in part of June and July when many international competitions are played.
Opening the 2026 campaign at home against Real Salt Lake on Feb. 21, The Vancouver Whitecaps will play eight of their first nine games in Vancouver.
The ‘Caps will close out the regular season on the road against CF Montréal on Nov. 7.
Montreal will open with six games on the road, starting Feb. 21 at San Diego. It will play its first game at Stade Saputo April 11 against Philadelphia.
Playing in its 20th season, Toronto opens Feb. 21 at Dallas and plays its first three games on the road to accommodate upgrades to BMO Field for the World Cup.
TFC plays its home opener March 14 against the New York Red Bulls.
