Major League Soccer extends transfer window to align with Europe

JAKARTA - Major League Soccer's (MLS) summer transfer window, also known as the secondary window, will be extended to September for the 2026 season, continuing the league's ongoing efforts to adapt to the global football schedule.

"With a secondary transfer window extended to September for the first time in two decades (excluding the 2020 season adjusted due to COVID), the MLS window closure will be in line with the top leagues around the world."

"This gives MLS teams a greater opportunity to acquire high-quality international talent on their way to the MLS Cup playoffs," the league operator said in a statement on Thursday, January 22, 2026, local time.

The league's secondary transfer window will now run from July 13 to September 2, while the main transfer window will start on January 26 and close on March 26.

In 2025, MLS saw a number of big international names join the league during the secondary transfer window with the arrivals of Son Heung-Min (LAFC), Rodrigo De Paul (Inter Miami CF), and Thomas Muller (Vancouver Whitecaps FC).

MLS signed a total of 10 players in the secondary transfer window and signed an additional 12 players through the U-22 initiative.

The news follows the November 2025 announcement that MLS would shift its regular season to summer to spring, starting in 2027. Unlike most international leagues, MLS currently plays from February to November.

However, obstacles may arise for the change of the summer schedule to the spring after the MLSPA (MLS Players Association) has not approved the change of the calendar.

The deadline for Roster Compliance (Friday, February 20) and Roster Freeze (Friday, October 9) for the 2026 season was also announced on Thursday, January 22, 2026.

Roster Compliance is a process by which each club must ensure their player roster, number of players, and compliance with budget rules and player slot limits (such as Designated Player, Homegrown, U-22, and international) before certain deadlines each season to qualify to compete in the MLS.

Roster Freeze is a midseason deadline by which clubs must submit their final roster from that date until after the MLS Cup.

Likewise with additional amendments, such as the removal of the limit on the amount of Cash for Player Exchanges that clubs can carry out each season, as well as the removal of age limits and limits on the number of Interleague Loans that clubs can carry out each season.

The MLS season begins on Saturday, February 21, 2026, while some teams will return to action early with the Concacaf Champions Cup starting on February 3, 2026.