Matching the calendar switch of Major League Soccer, MLS Next Pro officially announced the league is switching it's calendar for 2027. Currently MLSNP plays a spring to fall schedule as most leagues in the United States and Canada do. Initially it was expected that Next Pro would maintain the existing format for at least one season before shifting, but today's announcement changes that.
Alongside the MLS sprint season next spring, MLS Next Pro will do the same, nearly identically matching Major League Soccer's new calendar. The new season will begin in late February and end in late May with the MLS Next Pro Cup. Following a roughly six week break the new season will begin in mid-July 2027.
Just like the top flight league MLSNP will break for roughly two months from mid-December to early to mid-February. Once the league starts back up they will play into late June, compared to MLS that is set to end the MLS Cup Playoffs by the end of May 2028.
While the move aligns Next Pro season with first division MLS the most important aspect is aligning it with the academy season. Currently during the summer academy break it is slightly harder to pull academy players into the Next Pro sides. That is due to many of the players going and player summer league as MLS NEXT Academy season and most academy seasons in the United States run fall to spring.
Specifically for MNUFC2 this may end up in a move away from the National Sports Center Stadium in Blaine, right next to the Loons training facility. This is due to the stadium being covered by the NSC Dome from mid-October to April of each year. That has been the reason since MNUFC2 began play that the club has a long road trip to start every season.
"It is certainly something that we are discussing as we plan for and approach the new season next year," the club told Northland Soccer regarding the potential move of stadium. Allianz Field in St. Paul would be the most likely landing spot for the Twoons as many of the colleges and university's in the area also cover their football stadiums with domes during the harsh Minnesota winters.
