Editing Major League Soccer (section)

==Competition format==
{{See also|Supporters' Shield|MLS Cup|MLS Cup playoffs}}

Major League Soccer's regular season runs from late February or early March to October. Teams are geographically divided into the [[MLS Eastern Conference|Eastern]] and [[MLS Western Conference|Western]] Conferences, playing 34 games in an unbalanced schedule. With 30 teams in 2025, each team plays two games (home and away) against the others teams within their conference, and six games against teams from the opposite conference. The 2020 season was the first season in league history in which teams did not play against every other team in the league.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Mather |first1=victor |title=In M.L.S., the Pandemic Changes the Playoff Math |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2020/10/29/sports/soccer/mls-playoffs.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201029172215/https://www.nytimes.com/2020/10/29/sports/soccer/mls-playoffs.html |archive-date=2020-10-29 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live |work=The New York Times|date=October 29, 2020 }}</ref> At the end of the regular season, the team with the highest point total is awarded the [[Supporters' Shield]] and home-field advantage throughout the playoffs.<ref>{{Cite web|date=August 21, 2013|title=A case for the Supporters Shield|url=http://www.brotherlygame.com/2013/8/21/4634894/a-case-for-the-supporters-shield|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141031044518/http://www.brotherlygame.com/2013/8/21/4634894/a-case-for-the-supporters-shield|archive-date=October 31, 2014|access-date=September 20, 2014|website=Brotherly Game}}</ref>

Teams break for the annual [[Major League Soccer All-Star Game|All-Star Game]] midway through the season, an exhibition game containing the league's best players. The format of the All-Star Game has changed several times since the league's inception; 2020 was the first year in which the MLS All-Stars were planned to play against an all-star team from Mexico's [[Liga MX]], before the event's cancellation due to the [[COVID-19 pandemic in the United States|COVID-19 pandemic]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=MLS All-Star Game creates opportunities for Portland, U.S. soccer: Editorial |url=http://www.oregonlive.com/opinion/index.ssf/2014/08/mls_all-star_game_creates_oppo.html |date=August 3, 2014 |website=The Oregonian |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140811214656/http://www.oregonlive.com/opinion/index.ssf/2014/08/mls_all-star_game_creates_oppo.html |archive-date=August 11, 2014 |access-date=September 20, 2014}}</ref><ref>{{cite press release |date=May 19, 2020 |title=Major League Soccer Provides Updates on All-Star Game, Leagues Cup and Campeones Cup |url=https://www.mlssoccer.com/post/2020/05/19/major-league-soccer-provides-updates-all-star-game-leagues-cup-and-campeones-cup |publisher=Major League Soccer |access-date=May 19, 2020 |archive-date=December 21, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201221123106/https://www.mlssoccer.com/post/2020/05/19/major-league-soccer-provides-updates-all-star-game-leagues-cup-and-campeones-cup |url-status=live }}</ref><ref name="canceled"/> Since 2015, the final matchday of the season has been branded as "[[Decision Day (MLS)|Decision Day]]" and has almost all matches played between intra-conference teams kicking off simultaneously during two windows—one for each conference.<ref>{{cite news |last=Evans |first=Jayda |date=October 4, 2019 |title=Sounders have plenty to play for as Decision Day looms Sunday |url=https://www.seattletimes.com/sports/sounders/sounders-have-plenty-to-play-for-as-decision-day-looms-sunday/ |work=The Seattl eTimes |accessdate=December 23, 2024}}</ref>

Unlike most major soccer leagues around the world, but similar to other leagues in the Americas,<ref>{{Cite web |title=How the MLS Playoff Format Punishes Ambitious Teams |url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/zachslaton/2012/10/15/how-the-mls-playoff-format-punishes-ambitious-teams/ |date=October 15, 2012 |website=Forbes |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140806183526/http://www.forbes.com/sites/zachslaton/2012/10/15/how-the-mls-playoff-format-punishes-ambitious-teams/ |archive-date=August 6, 2014 |access-date=September 20, 2014}}</ref> the MLS regular season is followed by a postseason knockout tournament to determine the league champion.<ref>{{cite news |last=Yardley |first=Jonathan |date=October 22, 2015 |title=Playoffs Around the World: Global leagues use variety of different formats to determine champions |url=https://www.mlssoccer.com/news/playoffs-around-world-global-leagues-use-variety-different-formats-determine |work=MLSsoccer.com |accessdate=February 21, 2023 |archive-date=February 21, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230221202928/https://www.mlssoccer.com/news/playoffs-around-world-global-leagues-use-variety-different-formats-determine |url-status=live }}</ref> {{As of|2023}}, eighteen teams participate in the [[MLS Cup Playoffs]] in October and November, which concludes with the [[MLS Cup]] championship game in early December.<ref>{{cite press release |date=February 21, 2023 |title=Major League Soccer Announces Audi 2023 MLS Cup Playoffs Format and Schedule |url=https://www.mlssoccer.com/news/major-league-soccer-announces-audi-2023-mls-cup-playoffs-format-and-schedule |publisher=Major League Soccer |accessdate=February 21, 2023 |archive-date=February 22, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230222131030/https://www.mlssoccer.com/news/major-league-soccer-announces-audi-2023-mls-cup-playoffs-format-and-schedule |url-status=live }}</ref> The 2023 playoff format includes a pair of single-elimination play-in matches for the two lowest-ranked teams in each conference ahead of a [[best-of-three]] round; the round is followed by more single-elimination rounds that lead up to the MLS Cup final.<ref>{{Cite web|title=MLS announces new playoff format for 2023 season|url=https://www.mlssoccer.com/news/mls-announces-new-playoff-format-for-2023-season|access-date=February 21, 2023|archive-date=February 21, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230221201512/https://www.mlssoccer.com/news/mls-announces-new-playoff-format-for-2023-season|url-status=live}}</ref>

Major League Soccer's spring-to-fall schedule results in scheduling conflicts with the [[Domestic association football season|FIFA calendar]] and with summertime international tournaments such as the [[FIFA World Cup|World Cup]] and the [[CONCACAF Gold Cup|Gold Cup]],<ref>{{Cite news |last=Lewis |first=Michael |date=June 19, 2010 |title=FIFA president Blatter says MLS needs to adopt int'l calendar to compete |work=Daily News |location=New York |url=http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/more_sports/2009/06/18/2009-06-18_fifa_president_sepp_blatter.html |url-status=live |access-date=December 22, 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110629083851/http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/more_sports/2009/06/18/2009-06-18_fifa_president_sepp_blatter.html |archive-date=June 29, 2011}}</ref> causing some players to miss league matches.<ref>{{Cite web |title=MLS May Change Its Schedule To Help The US's World Cup Bid |url=http://articles.businessinsider.com/2010-11-22/sports/30041416_1_summer-schedule-mls-teams-don-garber |date=November 22, 2010 |website=Business Insider |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120113134122/http://articles.businessinsider.com/2010-11-22/sports/30041416_1_summer-schedule-mls-teams-don-garber |archive-date=January 13, 2012 |access-date=October 24, 2011}}</ref> While MLS has looked into changing to a fall-to-spring format, there are no current plans to do so. Were the league to change its schedule, a winter break would be necessary to accommodate teams located in harsh winter climates.<ref>{{Cite news |date=November 22, 2011 |title=MLS looks at switching to international schedule |work=USA Today |url=https://www.usatoday.com/sports/soccer/2010-11-21-2487717250_x.htm |url-status=live |access-date=October 24, 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120107134551/http://www.usatoday.com/sports/soccer/2010-11-21-2487717250_x.htm |archive-date=January 7, 2012}}</ref><ref>{{Cite press release |title=Playoffs expand to 10 teams, more changes ahead |date=November 22, 2010 |publisher=Major League Soccer |url=http://www.mlssoccer.com/news/article/playoffs-expand-10-teams-more-changes-ahead |access-date=December 22, 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101227160017/http://www.mlssoccer.com/news/article/playoffs-expand-10-teams-more-changes-ahead |archive-date=December 27, 2010 |url-status=live}}</ref><ref name="USA Today">{{Cite news |date=February 15, 2011 |title=MLS' Garber: No plans for international calendar |work=USA Today |url=https://www.usatoday.com/sports/soccer/mls/2011-02-14-garber-mls-schedule_N.htm |url-status=live |access-date=October 19, 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120107114514/http://www.usatoday.com/sports/soccer/mls/2011-02-14-garber-mls-schedule_N.htm |archive-date=January 7, 2012}}</ref> It would also have to compete with the popularity and media presence of the [[National Football League]] (NFL), [[National Basketball Association]] (NBA), and [[National Hockey League]] (NHL), which all run on fall-to-spring schedules.<ref name="USA Today" />

===Other competitions===
{{See also|MLS performance in the CONCACAF Champions Cup |Campeones Cup |Leagues Cup|American soccer clubs in international competitions
 }}

MLS teams also play in other international and domestic competitions. Each season, up to ten MLS teams play in the [[CONCACAF Champions Cup]] (CCC) against other clubs from the [[CONCACAF]] region. Four MLS teams qualify based on regular-season results from the previous year: the [[Supporters' Shield]] champion, the team with the highest point total from the opposite conference, and the next two clubs in the Supporters' Shield rankings. The fifth MLS team to qualify is the reigning [[MLS Cup]] champion. An additional U.S.-based MLS team can qualify by winning the [[U.S. Open Cup]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup |url=http://www.ussoccer.com/lamar-hunt-us-open-cup |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140920220525/http://www.ussoccer.com/lamar-hunt-us-open-cup |archive-date=September 20, 2014 |access-date=September 20, 2014}}</ref> Starting in 2024, the league will send eight teams to participate in the U.S. Open Cup instead of every U.S.-based club, with [[MLS Next Pro]] teams as representatives for some teams. MLS had announced their intention to remove itself from the tournament entirely,<ref>{{cite news |last=Floyd |first=Thomas |date=December 15, 2023 |title=MLS to skip U.S. Open Cup, nation's oldest soccer tournament |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/sports/2023/12/15/mls-us-open-cup/ |newspaper=The Washington Post |accessdate=December 16, 2023 |url-access=limited}}</ref> but reached a compromise with U.S. Soccer to send representatives from clubs that were not participating in the Champions Cup, with the exception of the defending Open Cup champions.<ref>{{cite news |last=Carlisle |first=Jeff |date=March 1, 2024 |title=U.S. Open Cup revamp to feature just 8 MLS first teams |url=https://www.espn.com/soccer/story/_/id/39631836/us-open-cup-revamp-feature-just-8-mls-first-teams |publisher=ESPN |accessdate=March 1, 2024}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last=Goff |first=Steven |date=March 1, 2024 |title=MLS is back in the U.S. Open Cup, but not every club will participate |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/sports/2024/03/01/mls-us-open-cup-participation/ |newspaper=The Washington Post |accessdate=March 1, 2024}}</ref> The last three teams to qualify are the champion, runner-up, and third-place finisher of the [[Leagues Cup]].<ref name="concacaf-announces-qualification-criteria">{{cite web |url=https://www.concacaf.com/en/champions-league/news/concacaf-announces-qualification-criteria-for-confederation-s-expanded-champions-league-starting-in-2024/ |title=Concacaf announces qualification criteria for Confederation's expanded Champions League starting in 2024 |work=[[CONCACAF]] |orig-date=First published June 1, 2022 |date=June 30, 2022 |access-date=November 13, 2022 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220601153122/https://www.concacaf.com/en/champions-league/news/concacaf-announces-qualification-criteria-for-confederation-s-expanded-champions-league-starting-in-2024/ |archive-date=June 1, 2022}}</ref> [[CF Montréal|Montreal]], [[Toronto FC|Toronto]], and [[Vancouver Whitecaps FC|Vancouver]] compete against other Canadian sides in the [[Canadian Championship]] for the one CONCACAF Champions Cup berth allocated to Canada.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Canada Soccer announces move to new timeframe for future Amway Canadian Championships |url=http://www.canadasoccer.com/canada-soccer-annonce-un-nouveau-calendrier-pour-les-prochaines-éditions-du-championnat-canadien-amway-p156082&language=en |date=March 21, 2014 |publisher=Canada Soccer |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141016060453/http://www.canadasoccer.com/canada-soccer-annonce-un-nouveau-calendrier-pour-les-prochaines-%C3%A9ditions-du-championnat-canadien-amway-p156082%26language%3Den |archive-date=October 16, 2014 |access-date=August 1, 2014}}</ref> All three Canadian clubs may also qualify through MLS or the Leagues Cup. If a team qualifies through multiple berths, or they are taken by a Canadian MLS team, the berth is reallocated to the next best team in the overall table. If the U.S. Open Cup winner qualifies through multiple methods, the runner-up fills the slot; should the runner-up qualify, the next best team in the overall table earns the slot. If the Leagues Cup champion wins the MLS Cup, the MLS Cup runner-up qualifies to the round of 16; should a Leagues Cup slot already qualify, MLS is awarded with one additional slot given to the next best non-qualified team in the overall table.<ref name="2024cccregulations">{{cite web |title=2024 Concacaf Champions Cup Regulations |url=https://stconcacafwp001.blob.core.windows.net/media/atwi3fxa/2024-concacaf-champions-cup-regulations-eng.pdf |website=Concacaf |access-date=November 1, 2023 |pages=14–19 |date=October 25, 2023 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231026041930/https://stconcacafwp001.blob.core.windows.net/media/atwi3fxa/2024-concacaf-champions-cup-regulations-eng.pdf |archive-date=October 26, 2023}}</ref> [[Seattle Sounders FC]] became the first MLS team to win the CONCACAF Champions Cup under the competition's updated format in [[2022 CONCACAF Champions League|2022]].<ref>{{cite news |last=Evans |first=Jayda |date=May 4, 2022 |title=One for the history books: Sounders clinch MLS' first CCL title in front of record crowd in Seattle |url=https://www.seattletimes.com/sports/sounders/one-for-the-history-books-sounders-clinch-mls-first-ccl-title-in-front-of-record-crowd-in-seattle/ |work=The Seattle Times |accessdate=May 4, 2022 |archive-date=May 5, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220505044010/https://www.seattletimes.com/sports/sounders/one-for-the-history-books-sounders-clinch-mls-first-ccl-title-in-front-of-record-crowd-in-seattle/ |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last=Creditor |first=Avi |date=May 4, 2022 |title=Seattle Ends MLS's CCL Futility, Routs Pumas to Win Concacaf's Title |url=https://www.si.com/soccer/2022/05/05/seattle-sounders-pumas-unam-ccl-final-video-highlights |magazine=Sports Illustrated |accessdate=May 4, 2022 |archive-date=May 5, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220505015303/https://www.si.com/soccer/2022/05/05/seattle-sounders-pumas-unam-ccl-final-video-highlights |url-status=live }}</ref>

Since 2018, the reigning MLS Cup champion plays in the [[Campeones Cup]], a [[Super Cup]]-style single game against the [[Campeón de Campeones]] from [[Liga MX]], hosted by the MLS team in September.<ref>{{Cite press release |title=Major League Soccer and Liga MX Fuel Rivalry with New Partnership |date=March 13, 2018 |publisher=Major League Soccer |url=https://www.mlssoccer.com/post/2018/03/13/major-league-soccer-and-liga-mx-fuel-rivalry-new-partnership |access-date=March 13, 2018 |archive-date=November 9, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201109023824/https://www.mlssoccer.com/post/2018/03/13/major-league-soccer-and-liga-mx-fuel-rivalry-new-partnership |url-status=live }}</ref> The inaugural edition saw [[Tigres UANL]] defeat Toronto FC at BMO Field in Toronto in 2018.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Shoalts |first=David |date=September 19, 2018 |title=Mexico's Tigres get a little payback, defeat Toronto FC in Campeones Cup |work=The Globe and Mail |url=https://www.theglobeandmail.com/sports/article-mexicos-tigres-get-a-little-payback-defeat-toronto-fc-in-campeones/ |access-date=June 1, 2019 |archive-date=November 9, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181109081517/https://www.theglobeandmail.com/sports/article-mexicos-tigres-get-a-little-payback-defeat-toronto-fc-in-campeones/ |url-status=live }}</ref>

Another inter-league competition with Liga MX, the [[Leagues Cup]], was established in 2019.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Marshall |first=Tom |date=May 29, 2019 |title=MLS and Liga MX announce Leagues Cup |publisher=[[ESPN]] |url=http://www.espn.com/soccer/major-league-soccer/story/3863630/mls-and-liga-mx-announce-leagues-cup |access-date=June 1, 2019 |archive-date=November 23, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221123025944/https://www.espn.com/soccer/major-league-soccer/story/3863630/mls-and-liga-mx-announce-leagues-cup |url-status=live }}</ref> The 2020 edition of the tournament was originally planned to pair eight MLS clubs against eight Liga MX clubs in a single-elimination tournament hosted in the United States, reviving an inter-league rivalry that previously took place in the now-defunct [[North American Superliga]], before its cancelation.<ref name="canceled">{{cite press release |date=May 19, 2020 |title=MLS All-Star Game, Leagues Cup and Campeones Cup canceled for 2020 |url=https://www.mlssoccer.com/post/2020/05/19/mls-all-star-game-leagues-cup-and-campeones-cup-canceled-2020 |publisher=Major League Soccer |access-date=May 19, 2020 |archive-date=May 29, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200529164623/https://www.mlssoccer.com/post/2020/05/19/mls-all-star-game-leagues-cup-and-campeones-cup-canceled-2020 |url-status=live }}</ref> Beginning with the 2023 edition all MLS and Liga MX teams participated in the competition, which functions as the regional cup for the [[North American Football Union|North American zone]] of [[CONCACAF]].<ref>{{cite news |date=September 21, 2021 |title=Historic reimagined Leagues Cup starting in 2023 |url=https://www.mlssoccer.com/news/historic-reimagined-leagues-cup-starting-in-2023 |work=MLSsoccer.com |accessdate=September 21, 2021 |archive-date=September 21, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210921202059/https://www.mlssoccer.com/news/historic-reimagined-leagues-cup-starting-in-2023 |url-status=live }}</ref> As of the 2025 edition, only 18 MLS clubs will take part.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Bogert |first=Tom |date=2025-01-28 |title=MLS sets US Open Cup, Leagues Cup and Champions Cup update |url=https://www.givemesport.com/mls-sets-us-open-cup-leagues-cup-and-champions-cup-update/ |access-date=2025-02-23 |website=GiveMeSport |language=en}}</ref>