No More Rivalry Week? Reasons Behind MLS’s 2026 Schedule Alterations
Quietly and with little fanfare, MLS has eliminated its Rivalry Week for the 2026 season. In contrast to the typical concentrated series of derbies that usually occur in May, MLS has opted to distribute its prominent regular-season fixtures throughout the upcoming 2026 season, which begins this month with Inter Miami visiting LAFC.
“We aim to create events. We want supporters to have the ability to plan ahead. We believe that a consistent schedule is crucial for enhancing fan engagement with their preferred club or our league,” stated MLS executive vice president Camilo Durana in an interview with ESPN.
“We have established remarkable rivalries. New narratives develop each time we compete, with every new player entering the league or transferring to a different team. The essence is that MLS drama, the intensity, and the rivalries — they are not confined to just one week a year. They occur continuously.”
– MLS jersey Power Rankings: Who’s the best dressed in 2026?
– Minnesota’s James deal is a low-risk marriage of convenience
– How MLS’ USMNTers endure offseason to stay sharp for World Cup
As part of a broader initiative for 2026 to consistently highlight more narratives, players, and events week after week, it was logical to also spread out the rivalries.
“By establishing these key occasions, we recognized an opportunity to cultivate more habits among fans, and we secured major sponsors to align with that vision. A part of our responsibility as a league is to create opportunities and occasions and enhance the visibility of our matches and our product,” Durana explained.
Starting this season, MLS will introduce a weekly Saturday Showdown that features a marquee matchup. Kicking off with LAFC vs Inter Miami on Feb. 21, the intention is to shine a light on captivating games with improved production across Apple and MLS platforms. This initiative will serve as MLS’ second weekly showcase in addition to Sunday Night Soccer.
With more rivalry matches distributed throughout 2026, it is evident that the league is striving to capture the attention of fans more consistently.
“We possess incredible stories and believe we can, through our channels, as well as those of our clubs and partners, help audiences understand their significance, provide them with the chance to watch with the consistency of our schedule, and foster greater fandom over time. This occurs every week, not just on a single weekend,” Durana remarked.
Nonetheless, the league is still promoting a select number of rivalries between July 16-17 when MLS resumes play following the league’s World Cup hiatus that starts on May 25. Although this does not constitute a full Rivalry Week — several matchups, such as the Hudson River Derby (New York City FC and New York Red Bulls), Hell is Real (Columbus Crew and FC Cincinnati), Texas Derby (FC Dallas and Houston Dynamo), and the Rocky Mountain Cup (Real Salt Lake and Colorado Rapids) are absent — the league hopes to leverage the timing of the return to connect with a broader soccer audience.
Scheduled after the World Cup semifinals and before the tournament’s final, “a selection of marquee rivalry matches” will take place in mid-July to showcase the league to more soccer enthusiasts.
“Our current estimates suggest that around 100 million individuals will emerge from the World Cup with an interest in our sport,” Durana stated. “Our task is to ensure they recognize that Major League Soccer represents the North American version of the world’s game. It is right here in their vicinity.”
“While the shift to these weekly occasions was not solely motivated by the World Cup, it aligns with our strategy of positioning ourselves prominently.”
Will this strategy yield results? While league officials may feel satisfied with last year’s indicators of audience growth and engagement — 3.6 million viewers tuned in for last year’s final — MLS continues to be ranked as the third-most viewed soccer league in the U.S., trailing behind the Premier League and Liga MX.
The league has potential for further expansion, and with a new strategy in place for 2026, we will soon observe how much additional progress is achieved during a World Cup year — particularly one in which the tournament will be hosted by the United States, Mexico, and Canada.
