Why Does MLS Play Through International Breaks? | OneFootball

MLS doesn’t stop for international breaks for the same reason which dictates most decisions in soccer; money.

Despite growing to become one of the top leagues in the world, MLS still does not provide all its teams with time off for FIFA-mandated international breaks, forcing many clubs to play without some of their key players.

“We can’t afford it,” MLS Commissioner Don Garber said when asked about adapting to the international schedule. “If we have to shut the league down and lose games, it impacts our players. It impacts our partners. It impacts our fans. It impacts everything that MLS has to deliver for all of our stakeholders.”

Although the league will pause for parts of significant summer tournaments such as the FIFA World Cup, Concacaf Gold Cup, and Copa América, regular international windows see many of the league’s 30 teams play right through.

As international teams, including the U.S. men’s national team, Canada, and Mexico, played at the start of June, MLS forged ahead with five matches, with as many as 140 players with their national teams.

The Stars and Stripes take on Venezuela at Chase Stadium. / IMAGO/Agencia-MexSport

Fixture congestion in the MLS regular season is another key reason for not pausing during international breaks. Until recent years, the MLS Cup Playoffs would also play through such circumstances, leaving teams without their top talents in the season’s most important matches.

The MLS regular season runs from February to October, while the playoffs, respecting most international duties, run through October to the first weekend of December, making the season one of the longest in global soccer.

Outside of the 34-match regular season, many MLS teams compete in other competitions, including the Concacaf Champions Cup, Leagues Cup, U.S. Open Cup, and Canadian Championship.