MLS Announces 2022 Schedule Format and Conference Alignment

November 5, 2021 - Major League Soccer (MLS) News Release

NEW YORK - Major League Soccer today announced the schedule format and conference alignment for the 2022 MLS season.

To best align with the 2022 international soccer calendar, the MLS regular season will begin earlier than ever before, kicking off on Saturday, Feb. 26, and run through Decision Day, the regular season finale, on Sunday, Oct. 9. Following three consecutive weeks of Audi 2022 MLS Cup Playoffs action, MLS Cup will be played on Saturday, Nov. 5, more than two weeks prior to the start of the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar on Nov. 21 and more than a week prior to the player release date on Nov. 14.

Major League Soccer also confirmed today that Charlotte FC, set to begin play as Major League Soccer's 28th team, will compete in the Eastern Conference, while Nashville SC will compete in the Western Conference, resulting in two conferences of 14 teams each.

All teams will play a 34-game regular season - 17 home games, 17 away games - facing each of their conference opponent two times and playing eight non-conference opponents once.

The MLS regular season schedule will consist of all weekend matches with the exception of five, or fewer, midweek matches - targeting one each in May, June and July, and two in August. The midweek match dates for each team will not be scheduled in consecutive weeks.

In observance of the 2022 FIFA calendar, MLS will seek to avoid scheduling matches during the FIFA international windows in March, June or September. Only at a team's request will MLS consider scheduling a match during the March window, or during the second weekend of the June double window. Teams may not request to play matches during the September window, at the final stretch of the regular season.

The full MLS regular season schedule will be announced later this year.

Major League Soccer Stories from November 5, 2021

• MLS Fines Orlando City's Luiz Muzzi for Inappropriate Behavior Toward Match Officials - MLS
• Six LA Galaxy Players Called up for International Duty - LA Galaxy
• Danny Leyva Named to U-20 Men's National Team Roster for Upcoming Revelations Cup - Seattle Sounders FC
• Tajon Buchanan and Arnór Traustason Named to World Cup Qualifying Rosters - New England Revolution
• Clark and Edelman Called into Under-20 United States Men's National Team Camp - New York Red Bulls
• Preview: Sporting Hosts RSL in Decision Day Showdown on Sunday - Sporting Kansas City
• Aaronson, McGlynn, and Sullivan Named to USMNT U-20 Training Camp Roster - Philadelphia Union
• Three Chicago Fire FC Homegrown Players Called to U.S. U-20 Men's National Team - Chicago Fire FC
• FC Dallas Homegrowns Justin Che, Dante Sealy Called into U.S. U-20 Men's National Team Camp - FC Dallas
• Rapids Host Fan Appreciation Night as LAFC Visits in Regular Season Finale - Colorado Rapids
• Cowell, Walls Called to U.S. U-20 National Team for Revelations Cup - San Jose Earthquakes
• Three Out, One Questionable for Decision Day - New York City FC
• D.C. United Homegrowns Jeremy Garay and Jacob Greene Selected for U.S. Under-20 Men's National Team for Upcoming Revelations Cup - D.C. United
• Sporting KC Launches Paint the Wall Pennants to Benefit the Victory Project - Sporting Kansas City
• Travel Advisory for Decision Day - New York City FC
• Diego Rossi Called to Puerto Rico U20 National Team - New York City FC
• Gustavo "GN10" Nascimento Set to Represent NYCFC as Club's Official eMLS FIFA Player; Josh "Squirrel" Banh Returns for 2022 - New York City FC
• Game Day Guide: Everything You Need to Know for Fan Appreciation Day & the Match against LAFC - Colorado Rapids
• Match Preview: FC Cincinnati vs Atlanta United FC - FC Cincinnati
• Mark-Anthony Kaye Named to Canada's National Team Ahead of World Cup Qualifiers - Colorado Rapids
• Major League Soccer Announces 2022 Schedule Format - Charlotte FC
• MLS Announces 2022 Schedule Format and Conference Alignment - MLS

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