MLS
Major League Soccer (MLS) is one of the few soccer leagues around the world that doesn’t stop during international breaks, which Inter Miami have found to their cost since Lionel Messi joined the club last summer. However, that looks set to change for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, which will be played in the United States, Mexico and Canada in two years’ time.
Brad Pursel, the MLS’ senior vice president of game schedule management, revealed to ESPN that plans were in place for the league to pause during the tournament to ensure clubs weren’t left depleted by their players being unavailable for domestic games.
“For the World Cup in 2026, we will take a break. MLS will pause during that competition, but the length of that break is to be determined. But given the size and scope of the 2026 World Cup, and being in North America, that is one tournament we will take a break for.”
The 2026 FIFA World Cup is scheduled to begin on Thursday 11 June 2026 and conclude more than five weeks later on Sunday 19 July 2026.
Pursel also stated that alterations to the current MLS schedule would likely take place for similar reasons, starting next year.
“We’re looking ahead to 2025, 2026, and 2027 to consider and make adjustments to our schedules so we don’t lose quite as many players to these competitions that conflict with our season.”
At present, the regular MLS season begins towards the end of February and ends in mid-October, with the MLS Cup Playoffs immediately following and running through until the first few days of December.
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The only break the league currently takes is for the Leagues Cup, which was reintroduced with a new, extended format last year. The competition sees 29 MLS teams and Liga MX clubs face off in stadiums across the United States for a month, during which time no MLS fixtures are scheduled.
Pursel explained there were no plans to pause the Leagues Cup during the FIFA World Cup, but conceded “adjustments or modifications” may have to be made to ensure the competition can go ahead.
About the author
Roddy Cons
Scottish sports journalist and content creator. After running his own soccer-related projects, in 2022 he joined Diario AS, where he mainly reports on the biggest news from around Europe’s leading soccer clubs, Liga MX and MLS, and covers live games in a not-too-serious tone. Likes to mix things up by dipping into the world of American sports.
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