MLS

New Calendar for MLS in 2027

May 21, 2026 by Shawn Collins

Major League Soccer is officially transitioning to a summer-to-spring calendar format starting in 2027. This historic shift aligns MLS with the world’s top soccer leagues.

Why is MLS making the switch?
By aligning with the global soccer calendar, MLS will significantly improve its access to players in the international transfer market and drastically reduce scheduling conflicts with major international tournaments.

The Transition Timeline
The league will utilize a two-step rollout to transition into the new format:

1. The MLS “Sprint Season” (February – May 2027)
Before launching the full new calendar, MLS will bridge the gap with an action-packed, shortened Sprint Season.

The Schedule: Each club will play 14 regular-season matches, facing every conference opponent exactly once (either home or away).
The Playoffs: The top 8 teams from each conference will qualify for a high-stakes, single-elimination Audi MLS Cup Playoffs tournament, hosted by the higher-ranked Supporters’ Shield team.
What’s on the Line: Performance in this sprint will determine qualifications for the CONCACAF Champions Cup, Leagues Cup, and the 2028 U.S. Open Cup (qualification details pending).

2. The New Full Season Format (July 2027 – May 2028 & Beyond)
Following the Sprint Season, the new official calendar format begins.

Match Count: The regular season will remain at 34 matches, maintaining the traditional volume.
Winter Break: To accommodate harsh weather, the league will implement a winter break. There will be limited matches in December and February, and none in January.

What This Means for Austin FC & Oak Collective Members

Ticket Memberships
Austin FC is working to map out what this means for your packages. More specific information regarding your Oak Collective memberships and the new schedule will be released in the coming weeks.

Weathering the Elements: Less Texas Heat!
Are you worried about freezing in the stands? Don’t be. The league has confirmed that 91% of matches will still take place on standard weekend dates, just like the current structure.

For Austin FC fans, this shift is actually a win against the elements: it means fewer matches played in the brutal Texas summer heat, with only a slight increase in games played during cooler weather.

Austin FC 2026 Schedule

November 24, 2025 by Shawn Collins

Austin FC has announced the full 34-match schedule for its 2026 Major League Soccer (MLS) regular season. Austin will kick off its sixth season with its home opener on Saturday, February 21 at 7:30 p.m. CT against Minnesota United FC.

Austin FC’s first road match of 2026 will be at Charlotte FC on Saturday, March 7 at Bank of America Stadium.

Among the big matches in 2026 will be when Austin FC is on the road against Inter Miami CF in Inter Miami’s new stadium, Miami Freedom Park. This will be the first time Lionel Messi faces Austin FC.

While the United States hosts the World Cup in 2026, MLS will be taking a break from late May to late July. Austin FC hosts St. Louis City SC on May 23 and then won’t return to play until July 22 for an away match with Seattle Sounders FC.

The final game of the regular season will be on November 7 as Austin FC hosts the Portland Timbers.

MLS Will Be Part of Apple TV in 2026

November 17, 2025 by Shawn Collins

Major League Soccer and Apple have announced that beginning in 2026, all MLS matches will be available to stream for Apple TV subscribers at no additional cost.

Starting next season, fans can watch every regular-season match, the annual Leagues Cup tournament, the MLS All-Star Game, the Michelob Ultra Campeones Cup, the Audi MLS Cup Playoffs, and more — all included with an Apple TV subscription.

The standalone MLS Season Pass subscription on the Apple TV app will conclude at the end of the 2025 season.

In addition to every live match, Apple TV subscribers will have access to studio programming along with a wide range of complementary on-demand content.

Austin FC season ticket holders will receive a complimentary Apple TV subscription in 2026.

MLS Switching to International Schedule

November 13, 2025 by Shawn Collins

The Major League Soccer Board of Governors have voted to align MLS with the international soccer calendar by shifting the regular season to a summer to spring schedule beginning in 2027.

Currently, MLS currently plays on a February to November calendar.

The change will result in the season kicking off in mid July and running through the Spring, with Decision Day in April and the MLS Cup playoffs in May.

MLS will allocate a winter break from mid December to early or mid-February.

This will enable MLS to sync up with the international transfer windows, so MLS teams can participate in the global transfer market.

As it currently stands, the MLS primary transfer window runs from January 31 to April 23, while most international leagues have player transfers during a traditional summer window.

MLS will run a shortened season in 2027 from February to May, where an MLS Cup champion will be crowned before the league officially shifts to the new calendar in summer 2027.

Brad Stuver and Brandon Vazquez on the 2025 MLS All-Star Team

June 28, 2025 by Shawn Collins

Major League Soccer has announced Austin FC goalkeeper Brad Stuver and forward Brandon Vazquez as members of the league’s 2025 All-Star roster. Both Stuver and Vazquez will take part in the MLS All-Star Game on July 23 (8:00 p.m. CT) at Q2 Stadium.

Austin FC Head Coach Nico Estévez, along with his technical staff, will coach the MLS All-Stars against the LIGA MX All-Stars from Mexico’s top soccer league. Estévez worked in tandem with MLS to select 12 total players to the roster.

The 2025 MLS All-Star Game in Austin marks the first major professional sports all-star game in the city’s history. The match at Q2 Stadium will also be the first MLS All-Star Game held in Texas since 2010, and the first-ever MLS All-Star Game in a soccer-specific stadium within the Lone Star State.

Stuver has consistently been among the league’s top shot-stoppers in recent seasons, ranking in the top five for both saves (63) and clean sheets (7) in 2025. He led the league in saves in both 2023 and 2024. Stuver is Austin’s all-time leader in appearances with 163, tallying 37 total shutouts.

Vazquez leads Austin FC with eight goals across all competitions in his first season with Austin FC. He scored the winning goal in the team’s most recent match vs. New York Red Bulls. Vazquez earns his second career MLS All-Star selection after making the team in 2022, a season in which he also made the MLS Best XI.

Stuver and Vazquez are the third and fourth Austin FC players to be named MLS All-Stars following Sebastián Driussi in 2022 and Jon Gallagher in 2023.