MLS announced a landmark decision by switching to a fall-spring calendar, and the benefits are obvious, but there are some valid challenges the league needs to navigate through

Focus really hard, and you could almost see the relief in Don Garber as he announced the news. MLS has done the one thing it really should have done for years, and he knew it. There has been talk, stretching back to last January, that an official switch to a fall-spring calendar in North America's professional soccer setup was imminent. For a while, there were just whispers and suggestions. It was reportedly brought up at countless board meetings. It received cautious public backing from coaches.

And, more broadly, anyone who consumed the league, followed its transfers, or even turned on Apple from time to time knew it was probably the sensible idea.

After some previous challenges, MLS, at long last, has a fall-spring calendar. The league has confirmed it. The basics are as expected. Starting in 2027, games will run from late July to early May. There will be a break in the winter. Transfer windows will align with the rest of the world. There will be no more playing through international breaks. On the face of it, this seems like the day when a still-growing, but at times conservative, league finally decided to take a bold swing.

At the same time, there are clear caveats. Existing player contracts will need to be reworked, and the league will now find itself competing more directly with other major U.S. sports during the heart of its season. There’s also value in tradition - even if MLS’s calendar has always been unconventional. So while this move feels logical and long overdue, it won’t be without complications.

MLS 3.0 may be underway, but its success is far from guaranteed.