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MLS Announces 14-Match 2027 Sprint Season, Playoff Path

By Drooid · Oct 29, 2026 · How we work

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Summary

Major League Soccer launches the 2027 MLS Sprint Season, a 14-match intra-conference competition.
The Sprint Season bridges MLS’s calendar to a new July-to-May schedule beginning July 2027.
The top eight teams per conference qualify for the Audi 2027 MLS Cup Playoffs in May.
Sprint Season results determine qualification for the 2028 CONCACAF Champions Cup and 2028 Leagues Cup.
All Sprint Season matches stream worldwide on Apple TV with no blackouts.

History

On June 14 2022 MLS signed a ten-year global streaming deal with Apple, beginning with the 2023 season. The agreement replaced MLS’s national contracts with ESPN, Fox and Univision, centralizing rights and eliminating regional blackouts. Streaming all 306 regular-season games on Apple TV aligns the league with European calendars and aims to boost worldwide viewership and sponsorship.

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On June 14 2022 MLS signed a ten-year global streaming deal with Apple, beginning with the 2023 season. The agreement replaced MLS’s national contracts with ESPN, Fox and Univision, centralizing rights and eliminating regional blackouts. Streaming all 306 regular-season games on Apple TV aligns the league with European calendars and aims to boost worldwide viewership and sponsorship.

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