Lionel Messi‘s Inter Miami will kick off Major League Soccer’s historic 2027 Sprint Season against FC Cincinnati on February 19, marking the beginning of a major change to the American soccer calendar.
The opening match will take place at Nu Stadium in Miami at 8 p.m. Eastern Time, with the remaining opening-weekend games scheduled for February 20 and 21.
MLS announced the first fixtures on October 28 as it prepares to introduce a new competition calendar designed to align more closely with major European soccer leagues.
Messi and Inter Miami Lead MLS Season Opener
Inter Miami will have the spotlight when the league begins its shortened 2027 campaign.
The competition, officially called the MLS Sprint Season, will feature 30 teams playing 14 regular-season matches each.
Every club will face its 14 conference opponents once, with seven games at home and seven on the road.
Unlike a traditional MLS season, teams will not play regular-season matches against opponents from the other conference.
The top eight teams from each conference will advance to the playoffs, creating a 16-team postseason.
The playoffs will use a single-elimination format, with the Eastern and Western Conference champions meeting in the MLS Cup final in May.
Despite its shorter schedule, the competition will award an official MLS championship.
Results will also help determine qualification for the 2028 Concacaf Champions Cup and Leagues Cup.
The opening match between Inter Miami and Cincinnati will be followed by several high-profile rivalry games throughout the spring.
LA Galaxy will host Los Angeles FC in the El Tráfico derby on April 10.
Meanwhile, New York City FC will face the New York Red Bulls at Yankee Stadium on May 8, the final day of the regular season.
Why MLS Is Changing Its Calendar in 2027
The Sprint Season represents a transitional competition before MLS permanently changes its calendar.
For decades, the league has operated primarily on a spring-to-fall schedule, unlike many of Europe’s leading soccer competitions.
Beginning in July 2027, MLS will adopt a summer-to-spring format.
The first full season under the new system will run through May 2028, with a winter break that includes no league matches in January.
League officials believe the change will improve coordination with international transfer windows and reduce scheduling conflicts with FIFA competitions.
The new format will also move the MLS Cup playoffs to May.
MLS Commissioner Don Garber has described the calendar transition as one of the league’s most significant decisions.
The changes come as American soccer continues to attract international attention, with Messi remaining one of the sport’s most recognizable figures.
For fans in the United States and Canada, the 2027 Sprint Season will offer a different competition format, a condensed championship race and a new schedule for some of the league’s biggest rivalries.
Inter Miami’s February 19 opener will mark the first step in that transition, ahead of a permanent calendar change later in the year.
