MLS Eyes Major Playoff Overhaul Ahead of 2028 Season

Multiple league and club sources told *The Guardian* that MLS is evaluating a postseason that could admit as many as 20 teams. All clubs would be ranked in a single table at season’s end, with the top-20 advancing. Eight of those would contest a play-in round, producing four winners that join the 12 automatically qualified clubs to form a 16-team field. The eight highest-seeded teams would then enter a double-elimination stage, giving a loss in the opening game a “second chance” before elimination. After each round, teams would be reseeded, preserving home-field advantage for higher seeds. The schedule viewed by *The Guardian* shows the playoffs beginning in late April and concluding with MLS Cup on Sunday May 21, 2028.

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The proposed format aligns with MLS’s broader move to a fall-to-spring calendar. A shortened “sprint season” is slated for 2027, after which the league will adopt the international calendar beginning in the 2027-28 season. This timing would place the championship in spring, away from the congested American football schedule, and create a distinct spring showcase for the sport.

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Larry Berg, co-managing owner of Los Angeles FC, is scheduled to assume the commissioner’s role on January 1, 2027, succeeding Don Garber. The leadership change coincides with the league’s structural reforms and the upcoming calendar shift.

The Guardian

According to *Heavy*, expanding the field and adding a double-chance bracket could increase the regular season’s significance by rewarding teams that finish near the top with a safety net in the playoffs. The format also mirrors the “double-chance” system used by the Australian Football League, which MLS has reportedly discussed with. However, *Heavy* notes that the added complexity—play-ins, reseeding, and a second-chance bracket—may challenge casual fans’ understanding of the postseason.

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MLS declined to comment on the proposed changes when approached by both outlets. The league’s silence leaves the details of the overhaul unconfirmed pending formal announcement.

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