Looks like it’s only a matter of time before the United States’ men’s domestic soccer landscape undergoes a major shake-up. Over the past few days, reports have surfaced suggesting that Major League Soccer stakeholders are open to abandoning the current winter-to-fall schedule in favor of a fall-to-spring format that would align and directly compete with top European leagues. Since then, the soccer community has been filled with lively debate, and the latest to weigh in is none other than Mauricio Pochettino.

Ahead of the opening November window fixture against Paraguay on Saturday, the Argentinian tactician was asked to touch upon the MLS shifting its schedule to match the traditional European calendar. Interestingly, his response made his stance unmistakably clear. “Well done and congratulations,” began Mauricio Pochettino, as compiled by the New York Post. “Fantastic, I think. Great decision.”

Well, it’s no surprise that Poch is in favor of this move. His genuine delight stems from the perspective of a manager who, after years in club football, is finally beginning to grasp the first-world problems that international coaches often deal with. For context, there have been several occasions where Mauricio Pochettino hasn’t been able to call up certain players because MLS operates on a schedule that doesn’t align with the European calendar.

In fact, it’s not just managers who have welcomed the idea; players have voiced their support as well. USMNT veteran defender Tim Ream also expressed his support last year: “I think to line up better with, around the world, transfers, the way those work, I think it’s a good thing,” Ream said at the time. “There are still a good number of things that have to be ironed out, but I think it’s good for the league.”

It is good, actually.

Consider the 2026 FIFA Men’s World Cup. Scheduled from June 11 to July 19, European leagues won’t feel any disruption, as their seasons typically start in late August. Players based there won’t have to step away from club duties mid-season and can give their full attention to national team responsibilities. MLS, however, is a different story, as given how it begins in early February, the World Cup would land right in the middle of its campaign, creating significant scheduling headaches for players and clubs alike.

It’s a situation reminiscent of when USWNT stars Tobin Heath and Christen Press voiced their frustrations over NWSL’s calendar, noting how players in Europe received far more “grace” during major summer tournaments. MLS finds itself in that same difficult position now.

While it’s far too late to fix things ahead of next summer’s World Cup, which the U.S. will host together with Mexico and Canada, the league’s long-term future does offer a positive shift.

Here’s what the revamped version of MLS will look like!

It’s not just the winter-to-fall and fall-to-spring change we’re talking about. Per reports, Major League Soccer is also considering scrapping the current two-conference setup in favor of a single-table system with five divisions of six teams each:

Southeast

– DC United

– Charlotte

– Nashville

– Atlanta

– Orlando

– Miami

Northeast

– Philadelphia

– NY Red Bull

– New York City

– New England

– Montreal

– Toronto

Midwest

– Chicago

– Columbus

– Cincinnati

– St. Louis

– Kansas City

– Minnesota

Northwest

– Vancouver

– Portland

– Seattle

– Real Salt Lake

– Colorado

– San Jose

Southwest

– LA Galaxy

– LAFC

– San Diego

– Austin

– Houston

– Dallas

One challenge, though, is figuring out how to split up the California or Texas teams to keep things balanced and make travel and scheduling easier. Whether MLS will actually move ahead with this idea is still uncertain. Earlier reports noted that most stakeholders supported the concept during the league’s board meeting in Chicago back in April, but that doesn’t mean the change will come smoothly.

Commissioner Don Garber has admitted as much, saying, “We’re not there yet,” while pointing out that media rights, sponsorship deals, and stadium contracts are major obstacles. On top of that, weather and geography make things complicated, with MLS clubs stretching from hot South Florida to cold Canadian cities. Even if the proposal gets approved, it’s unlikely to happen right after the 2026 World Cup; the earliest realistic timeline would be 2027 or later.