2026-27 MLS Season: Everything to Know

The 2026 MLS season is finally here! Get ready to watch all of the action on the pitch as Lionel Messi and Inter Miami look to defend the club’s first-ever title.

Here’s your complete guide to watching MLS soccer all season long, including key dates, major team changes and how to tune in each week. 

How to Watch MLS on TV

MLS soccer matches will be streamed exclusively on Apple TV this season as part of the service’s basic membership. No longer will soccer fans have to shell out additional funds for the MLS Season Pass — just sign up for Apple TV through your DIRECTV subscription and start watching!

Don’t have DIRECTV yet? Getting started is easy!

---

When Does the 2026-27 MLS Season Start?

The 2026-27 MLS season starts on Saturday, Feb. 21, 2026. The regular season will run until Nov. 7, 2026, with the MLS Cup Playoffs following. The playoffs usually end sometime in December.

This year, the league will pause play in the summer to accommodate the FIFA World Cup, which will be hosted across the United States, Canada and Mexico.

2026-27 MLS Season Key Dates 

Here are some of the most important dates to remember for the coming MLS season:

• Feb. 21 & 22 – MLS is Back Weekend: All 30 clubs kick off the 2026 season

• April 4 – Miami Freedom Park Opens: Inter Miami’s new 25,000-seat stadium opens. The champs will host Austin FC in the facility’s inaugural match.

• May 25 – July 16: FIFA World Cup Break: MLS pauses regular-season play for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, which will take place from June 11 until July 19 across the U.S., Canada and Mexico.

• July 16 – MLS Regular Season Resumes: MLS play resume with a slate of rivalry games following the World Cup semifinals.

• July 28 & 29 – MLS All-Star Game: Hosted at Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte, North Carolina. The MLS All-Star Skills Challenge taking place July 28.

• Nov. 7 – Decision Day: Final day of the regular season, with playoff spots and major awards (e.g., Golden Boot) decided.

---

2026-27 MLS Season Major Club Changes & Transactions

Here are some of the big changes and shakeups the MLS’s clubs saw during the offseason:

In the Eastern Conference

• Atlanta United: Legendary manager Gerardo “Tata” Martino returns to Atlanta. He inherits a reworked defense following the departure of Brooks Lennon and arrival of Elias Baez, looking to stabilize a team that struggled with consistency last year.

• Columbus Crew: Following Wilfried Nancy’s departure for Celtic, the Crew appointed Swedish mastermind Henrik Rydström. Known for “relationist” tactics, he looks to maintain Columbus’s ball dominance while integrating new Azerbaijani forward Nariman Akhundzada.

• D.C. United: Looking for stability, D.C. signed veteran goalkeeper Sean Johnson to anchor a defense that was porous in 2025. They also utilized the SuperDraft to snag top prospect Nicholas Simmonds to provide fresh legs in the attack.

• Inter Miami CF: Coming off a 2025 title, Miami has somehow gotten stronger. They secured Argentine star Rodrigo De Paul on a permanent deal and added European veteran Sergio Reguilón.

• Nashville SC: Nashville pulled off a massive free-agency coup by signing Cristian Espinoza as a Designated Player. Pairing him with Hany Mukhtar creates one of the most dangerous creative duos in the league, aimed at revitalizing a stagnant offense.

• New England Revolution: The club has pivoted to a youth-centric model under new manager Marko Mitrović. Mitrović is reuniting with former U-20 USMNT players like Brooklyn Raines, signaling a long-term rebuild focused on high-potential domestic talent.

• New York Red Bulls: It’s a total “reset” in Harrison. U.S. soccer icon Michael Bradley takes over as head coach, pivoting the team away from their traditional extreme press toward a more balanced style. They’ve added LIGA MX talent Jorge Ruvalcaba and USMNT winger Cade Cowell to spark the attack.

• Orlando City: The Lions faced a major transition in goal, moving on from club legend Pedro Gallese and signing free agent Maxime Crépeau. They also bolstered the midfield with Paraguayan international Braian Ojeda to offset the loss of Facundo Torres to Austin.

• Toronto FC: TFC has been uncharacteristically quiet, much to the frustration of fans. Their primary move was a defensive one, bringing in veteran center-back Walker Zimmerman to fix a backline that has struggled for years.

In the Western Conference

• Austin FC: The Oaks” spent big to bring Facundo Torres back to MLS from Brazil’s Palmeiras for nearly $10 million. They’ve also revamped their wings by trading for Jayden Nelson, signaling an aggressive push to return to the top of the West.

• Colorado Rapids: Under new manager Matt Wells (formerly of Tottenham), the Rapids are ditching their “underdog” identity for a more expansive, possession-based style. They’ve added goal-scoring threat Dante Sealy and homegrown defender Noah Cobb to fuel this transition.

• Houston Dynamo: The Dynamo continue their ambitious spending, breaking their transfer record for Mateusz Bogusz from Cruz Azul. They are banking on his creative output to turn them from “playoff contenders” into “trophy favorites.”

• LA Galaxy: The Galaxy made one of the biggest trades of the winter, acquiring St. Louis’s all-time leading scorer João Klauss to lead the line. They also added Justin Haak and Erik Thommy to stabilize a midfield that will be without the injured Riqui Puig for a significant period.

• LAFC: Continuity is the theme, with long-time assistant Marc Dos Santos promoted to head coach after Steve Cherundolo stepped down. The roster remains elite, featuring the second full year of the Son Heung-min and Denis Bouanga partnership.

• Minnesota United: The Loons were forced into a late change after Eric Ramsay left for West Brom. New coach Cameron Knowles takes the reins of a squad that recently added Tomás Chancalay and Colombian icon James Rodríguez (on a short-term deal).

• San Diego FC: Entering their second season, the expansion side added Scottish international Lewis Morgan to provide a proven MLS scoring touch alongside their young core, led by 2025 breakout star Manu Duah.

• Sporting KC: After the end of the Peter Vermes era, Raphaël Wicky has been tasked with a total roster teardown. The club moved on from nearly a dozen veterans, leaving Wicky with a young, unproven squad led by Spanish DP Manu García.

---

2026-27 MLS Season Power Rankings (as of Feb. 21)

So, which teams are favored to win the 2027 MLS Cup?

After their dominance last season, Inter Miami, as the incumbent champs, are obviously on the short list of favorites for the Cup, but there are plenty of other teams nipping at their heels. LAFC and Vancouver (the runners up) are looking strong, as is San Diego FC, who surprised the league with a deep playoff run in their inaugural season, coming up just shy of being Miami’s opponent in the Cup Final.

Here’s the power rankings for the MLS’s 30 clubs heading into the 2026-27 regular season.

1. Inter Miami CF (reigning MLS Cup champions)

2. LAFC

3. Vancouver Whitecaps FC (2025 MLS Cup runner up)

4. San Diego FC

5. Nashville SC

6. FC Cincinnati

7. Seattle Sounders FC

8. Philadelphia Union

9. Chicago Fire FC

10. Charlotte FC

11. Orlando City SC

12. New York City FC

13. Columbus Crew

14. LA Galaxy

15. Minnesota United FC

16. Houston Dynamo FC

17. Austin FC

18. Atlanta United

19. FC Dallas

20. New England Revolution

21. San Jose Earthquakes

22. New York Red Bulls

23. Real Salt Lake

24. Portland Timbers

25. Toronto FC

26. St. Louis CITY SC

27. Colorado Rapids

28. CF Montréal

29. D.C. United

30. Sporting Kansas City

---

What Happened in the 2025-26 MLS Season?

Inter Miami was the story of the 2025-26 MLS season. The club secured their first-ever MLS Cup and Lionel Messi delivered a masterclass campaign, becoming the first player in league history to win back-to-back MVP awards while also claiming the Golden Boot with 29 regular-season goals. The title run was a fitting farewell for legends Jordi Alba and Sergio Busquets, who retired as champions following the final.

Aside from Inter Miami’s success, the Philadelphia Union captured the Supporters’ Shield under new manager Bradley Carnell, finishing the regular season with a league-best 66 points.

Expansion club San Diego FC also made waves in their debut year, shattering records for the most points (63) and wins (19) by an inaugural team to finish atop the Western Conference.

Who Won the 2025 MLS Cup?

Inter Miami won the 2025 MLS Cup with a win over the Vancouver Whitecaps on Dec. 6, 2025. It’s the first title in the young franchise’s history and was due in no small part to the presence of superstar forward Lionel Messi on the team.

Which Team Has Won the Most MLS Titles?

The LA Galaxy, winner of the 2024 MLS Cup, has the most MLS titles! The Galaxy has brought home a record six titles, winning in 2002, 2005, 2011, 2012, 2014 and 2024. Two of those titles came while the legendary David Beckham was rostered on the team. Beckham is now the co-owner and president of Inter Miami, where Lionel Messi plays.

D.C United has the second most titles, with four Cup wins, and the Columbus Crew has three.

---

Watch Soccer on DIRECTV

In addition to watching UEFA Champions League, you can also watch English Premier League, La Liga and more soccer on DIRECTV.

DIRECTV Insider brings you our views on what’s happening in streaming, t.v., movies and sports. Companies and persons mentioned are not necessarily associated with and do not necessarily endorse DIRECTV. We will disclose sponsored content on our site when we show it to you, and some of the links on the site may be ads or affiliate links which means DIRECTV may earn compensation from your purchases.