(Reuters) -Major League Soccer on Thursday released its 2026 regular-season schedule, highlighted by the opening of Inter Miami's new home at Miami Freedom Park and a mid-year pause for the World Cup in North America.
Clubs will play 34 matches, 17 at home and 17 away, with the campaign starting on February 21.
The opening round will feature Son Heung-min's Los Angeles FC hosting Lionel Messi's Inter Miami at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum.
Inter Miami will inaugurate their new 25,000-seat venue on April 4 when they welcome Austin.
Play will be suspended from May 25 to July 16 for the World Cup, which runs from June 11 to July 19 in the United States, Mexico and Canada.
The campaign will end on November 7, branded Decision Day 2026, when the last post-season berths are decided before the MLS Cup crowns the champions.
The league said last week it will revamp its competition calendar from 2027, moving to a summer-to-spring format in line with Europe's top divisions and shifting the playoffs to May.
(Reporting by Angelica Medina in Mexico CityEditing by Christian Radnedge)
