ARE YOU READY FOR THE NEW OVERLORDS OF FOOTBALL?

MLS owners are expected to vote Thursday on two major changes to the league’s operations and structure.

Barring last-minute snags and final discussions and agreements with the MLS Players Association, the board of governors is prepared to make official a change to a fall-spring calendar that syncs up with many top European leagues, according to multiple sources briefed on the agenda. In addition, the league will likely vote on changes to the competition format. The proposal would see MLS move to a single-table system – one that also incorporates five divisions, more on that below – rather than two conferences.

While there is an expectation for a vote, however, there is also caution. The league’s owners have essentially moved toward this moment since May’s board meeting in Chicago. Many owners wanted these changes to be put in place for 2026. Still, no official vote has taken place yet, which leaves open the pessimistic possibility that MLS will once again not bring an official vote to the table.

The plan is for the MLS regular season to span from mid-to-late July or August to April, with playoffs staged in May. The league would take a winter break in December and January. Games would likely pause from around the second week in December through the first or third week in February. MLS understandably is trying to avoid restarting the league on Super Bowl weekend. There would also be a summer break in June and July.