A New Calendar Era for MLS
Major League Soccer announced that, beginning in 2027, its schedule will move from the traditional Spring‑Summer‑Fall window to a Fall‑Winter‑Spring format. The change will affect how the league structures its competitions, broadcast deals and, notably, player contract timelines.
The 2026 campaign will serve as the final edition of the old calendar, after which a short‑term ‘Sprint Season’ will be introduced as a bridge to the new rhythm. That Sprint Season will consist of a 14‑game regular slate followed by a streamlined playoff, giving clubs a condensed but decisive stretch of matches.
For the Philadelphia Union, the transition creates a pivotal year in 2026. The club must evaluate a handful of expiring contracts while also preparing for the new competitive cadence that will shape roster construction moving forward.
Key figures such as midfielder Alejandro Bedoya are set to become free agents after December 31, 2026, prompting the Union to decide whether to retain him or explore other options. Meanwhile, the team holds options on goalkeeper Andre Blake and forward Jesus Bueno that could keep them through 2027.
General manager George Marks faces a particularly tangled decision, as his own contract includes extensions that reach into 2028, adding another layer of complexity to the Union’s long‑term planning.
A postscript in the original report briefly mentions Kaiden Moore, noting his status as a Union II player and raising questions about his potential promotion or departure.
The Sprint Season’s Impact
The abbreviated schedule will compress competitive intensity, forcing teams to adapt quickly to a higher turnover of matches and giving younger players like Moore a faster path to first‑team exposure.