Lionel Messi’s Inter Miami to Open MLS Sprint Season 2027: Key Dates Revealed
MLS will open its shortened 14-game season with Inter Miami against FC Cincinnati before a 16-team playoff follows, officials said.
- On February 19, Lionel Messi and Inter Miami will host FC Cincinnati at Nu Stadium to open the 2027 MLS Sprint Season, a truncated competition designed to bridge the league's calendar transition.
- Major League Soccer is shifting to a traditional autumn-to-spring schedule to synchronize with global transfer windows and FIFA fixtures. Commissioner Don Garber called this strategic overhaul "one of the most important decisions in our history."
- The 14-match regular season features marquee rivalries including the April 10 "El Trafico" derby between LA Galaxy and LAFC, and the May 8 "Decision Day" clash between New York City FC and the New York Red Bulls.
- Results will determine qualification for the 2028 Concacaf Champions Cup and 2028 Leagues Cup, with the top eight teams from each conference advancing to single-elimination playoffs culminating in the MLS Cup final in May.
- Following the Sprint Season, the full 2027-28 MLS season will begin in July 2027, leading to a title game in May 2028 and including a midwinter break with no matches in January.
12 Articles
12 Articles
Messi Gets Opening Night as MLS Sprint Season Ushers In Huge Change
Lionel Messi will get the first spotlight in Major League Soccer’s biggest calendar shake-up in decades. Inter Miami will host FC Cincinnati on February 19, 2027, at Nu Stadium to open the MLS Sprint Season, a one-off competition designed to bridge the gap between the league’s traditional spring-to-fall schedule and its new summer-to-spring calendar. The […]
Lionel Macy is launching the 2027 American patrol special season in preparation for the historic transformation, after the dramatic tie of Inter-Miami in front of Cincinnati.
Soccer-MLS announces key 2027 'Sprint Season' matches ahead of calendar shift
Oct 28 (Reuters) - Lionel Messi's Inter Miami will kick off Major League Soccer's 2027 "Sprint Season" when they face Cincinnati on February 19, launching the league's transition to a traditional autumn-to-spring calendar.
MLS announces key 2027 'Sprint Season' matches ahead of calendar shift
Oct 28 - Lionel Messi's Inter Miami will kick off Major League Soccer's 2027 \"Sprint Season\" when they face Cincinnati on February 19, launching the league's transition to a traditional autumn-to-spring calendar. Read more at straitstimes.com.
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