Mauricio Pochettino hails MLS decision to make calendar change 🗓️ | OneFootball

U.S. men’s national team head coach Mauricio Pochettino has praised Major League Soccer’s decision to realign its schedule to match the global soccer calendar, calling the move an essential step toward elevating the league’s competitiveness and strengthening the national team system.

MLS will transition to a fall-spring schedule beginning in 2027, ending decades of operating on a spring-fall format that often placed the league out of sync with FIFA international windows, transfer cycles, and global competitions.

For Pochettino, who has coached extensively in Europe and now leads the U.S. program, the change is both overdue and transformative.

“For sure this is a great step forward for MLS to be on par with the top leagues in the world,” Pochettino said.

“Having managed club teams and now the U.S. National Team, the ability to align with the international calendar will have a huge positive impact for the players, coaches and clubs.”

Pochettino noted that the realignment will streamline national team camps and reduce the long-standing conflict between MLS matches and key FIFA dates, which has often limited access to domestic-based players or forced clubs to compete without significant portions of their roster.

The benefits, he emphasized, also extend to the federation’s long-term youth development prospects. “This also extends beyond the senior national teams; it will allow us to have access to the youth national team players during critical periods of international competition, further advancing their development."

For U.S. Soccer, the calendar shift promises to tighten the connection between domestic league play and international demands, ensuring that MLS-based players are better prepared for tournament rhythms and competitive standards abroad.

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