A strong season for Lionel Messi and Inter Miami in Major League Soccer's 2024 season saw them win the Supporters Shield for the first time in the club's very short history.
The Shield is awarded to the team with the best league record across both the Eastern and Western Conferences, but because MLS follows more of a general US sports model than a global soccer model when it comes to accolades, the most coveted prize is the MLS Cup which goes to the winner of a postseason bracket featuring the best league performers.
In that, Miami came up short, losing to former Cup winners Atlanta United. Tata Martino was then replaced as manager by Javier Mascherano, meaning a former Barcelona coach was succeeded by a former Barca midfielder to manage a team not only boasting Messi but fellow Camp Nou greats Luis Suarez and Sergio Busquets.
LA Galaxy were ultimately crowned 2024 MLS Cup winners with their final win over New York Red Bulls, and with the season in the books, all eyes turn to the upcoming announcement of the 2025 schedule and fixture list.
So, who will Inter Miami, LA Galaxy, NYRB, brand new 2025 expansion team San Diego FC and the other 26 MLS franchises be facing, and when? And when can fans across the United States expect Messi, perhaps the greatest footballer of all time, to arrive in their town?
Here's what we know.
MLS 2025 schedule release date, time
The Major League Soccer fixtures for next year will be released on Thursday, December 19 at 2 p.m. ET (11 a.m PT / 7 p.m GMT / 8 p.m. CET) by the league.
What is Inter Miami's 2025 schedule?
Once the schedule is released, we'll update this part with key Inter Miami fixtures for the 2025 season.
Does MLS 2025 season clash with Club World Cup?
The MLS regular season will take a short, 10-day hiatus during the summer for both the 2025 Club World Cup, the first to use an expanded format with 32 teams, and the CONCACAF Gold Cup, both being hosted by stadiums in the United States.
Inter Miami and Seattle Sounders will also be participating in the Club World Cup against 30 other top global sides.
While the league only pauses briefly for the early portion of the Club World Cup, Miami and Seattle have been given an extended break to allow for their participation in the competition.
When is MLS 2025 Postseason?
As always, the postseason will begin in the Fall, once the regular season has concluded with 'Decision Day' — the all-important final matchday of the campaign.
The final matchday, known as "Decision Day," will likely take place in late October. While the MLS postseason schedule is not yet known, it will likely begin sometime in late October or early November, shortly after the regular season concludes.
