Major League Soccer is preparing a significant overhaul of its regular season and playoff schedules for the 2019 season and beyond, sources tell The Athletic. The changes would involve a shortened regular season and a more measured playoff schedule.



Currently, the MLS regular season runs from March through October. Playoffs begin with a furious sprint through the first two rounds, with midweek, knockout round games followed by conference semifinals on successive weekends. That rush is followed by a two-week layoff during the November international break, sapping momentum from the playoffs until the conference championship rounds resume at the end of November. With MLS Cup stretching well into December, the six-week playoff schedule risks extreme cold for MLS Cup, which should be the showcase match of the MLS season.



But the league has long been discussing changes to its schedule and is preparing to enact them. Several sources with knowledge of the situation say that...