MLS All-Stars Divided Over League’s Potential Calendar Change

The MLS Board of Governors will hold their annual meeting during MLS All-Star Week on Wednesday prior to the 2025 MLS All-Star Game which pits the league’s top stars against LigaMX stars at Q2 Stadium in Austin, Texas.

The biggest topic on the agenda for club owners is the potential adoption of the fall-to-spring international soccer calendar utilized by the majority of leagues around the world, particularly the big five in Europe: Premier League, LaLiga, Bundesliga, Serie A and Ligue 1.

With the MLS announcing in April that the Board of Governors authorized a “second phase of exploration into a potential move to the international soccer calendar” and that “any potential changes would not take effect until the 2027 season at the earliest,” it’s unlikely a decision will be made this week in Austin.

MLS All-Stars seemed equally divided on the benefits and potential drawbacks of the switch, which would move the MLS season from February-to-December to July/August to May/June.

“For me as a player, I think it would be very beneficial being on the same calendar as Europe and the whole world,” Nashville SC forward Hany Mukhtar said. “We’re all the same. We all play the same sport and in my opinion, we should all be on the same calendar. We have the same rules, so we should have the same calendar.”

“I just love playing games so whenever we’re playing doesn’t really matter to me,” Vancouver Whitecaps FC midfielder Sebastian Berhalter said. “I think eventually you want to get to that European calendar, but then you’re also competing in the market with everyone. When we end our season, that’s their winter so it’s kind of a different timing. Now you’re in competition with the world market every time and every transfer window.”

While the calendar transition won’t be an issue for MLS players, many of whom have played internationally or have international aspirations, the biggest obstacle will be from an infrastructure and facilities standpoint.

How will venues in markets like Colorado, Minnesota, Montréal and Toronto be able to combat the cold during winter’s harshest months while protecting players and spectators?

Not only would they have to potentially upgrade facilities to host matches during December, January and February, but they’d lose out on hosting potentially lucrative summer matches in June and July when the weather is more tolerable.

On the flip side of the coin, clubs in markets like Dallas, Houston, Austin, Miami and Orlando could benefit by not hosting matches during the hot and humid dog days of summer. Wednesday’s forecast in Austin is a high of 98 degrees with the temperature expected to drop to 93 degrees when the 2025 MLS All-Star Game kicks off at 8 p.m. local time.

While the league’s calendar is the 5,000-pound gorilla in the room on Wednesday, club owners will also discuss updates on the league’s partnership with Apple as well as strategy around marketing initiatives, scheduling and its joint hospitality sales venture with On Location for the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

MLS recently announced the 2026 All-Star Game will be held in Charlotte next summer, though the timing could be affected with the World Cup Final taking place on July 19.

“Whatever the league wants to do or not do it’s up to them,” San Diego FC midfielder Anders Dreyer said. “I signed here knowing that I would play throughout the summer which I think is OK for me, which is better than the winter in Europe. We’ll see what’s going to happen.”