Pro League - Major League Soccer (MLS)
Friday, 03 August 2007
Major League Soccer (MLS) is a professional soccer league with teams in the United States and Canada. It is sanctioned by the professional divisions of both the United States Soccer Federation (USSF or U.S. Soccer) and the Canadian Soccer Association (CSA), which are both members of FIFA. MLS represents the top tier in the American Soccer Pyramid.
The format for the 2007 season is as follows:
* Season runs from April 2007 to a championship match played November 18, 2007.
* 13 clubs split into two conferences: the Western Conference will have six clubs, while the Eastern Conference will have seven, including the league's newest addition, Toronto FC. Each club plays 30 games, evenly divided among home and away matches. Each club will play every other club twice, home and away, for a total of 24 games. The remaining 6 games will all be intra-conference, with each club playing its fellow conference members an additional game. In the Western Conference, an additional game will be added to the above, highlighting a local or regional rivalry (Los Angeles vs. Chivas USA, Houston vs. FC Dallas, Salt Lake vs. Colorado).
* At season's end, the top two clubs of each conference will make the playoffs; in addition, the next four highest point totals, regardless of conference, will also be in the playoffs. In the event that a team which finishes fifth or lower in their conference qualifies, that team will be placed in the other conference's playoff bracket. In the first round of this knockout tournament, aggregate goals over two matches determine the winners; the Conference Championships are one match each, with the winner of each conference advancing to MLS Cup. In all rounds, draws will be broken with 2 15-minute periods of extra time, followed by penalty kicks if necessary. The away goals rule is not used.
* The MLS Champion (winner of MLS Cup) qualifies for the next CONCACAF Champions' Cup. Furthermore, the club with the best record in the 30 game regular season wins the MLS Supporters' Shield and also qualifies for the CONCACAF Champions' Cup. If the Supporters' Shield winner wins the MLS Cup, the runner-up to the Supporters Shield is the second qualifier.
* The two MLS clubs that qualify for the CONCACAF Champions' Cup have the ability to qualify for Copa Sudamericana if they make the final, and the FIFA Club World Cup if they win the championship. If an MLS club were to win Copa Sudamericana they would also play in Recopa Sudamericana.
* During the season, all MLS clubs may also compete in the U.S. Open Cup (except Toronto), select international tournaments, and various exhibitions.
* SuperLiga, a new MLS-Primera División de México club competition, will also make up the 2007 season schedule, with most matches occurring midweek in July and August. FC Dallas, Los Angeles Galaxy, DC United and Houston Dynamo are expected to play at least three matches each.
The format for the 2007 season is as follows:
* Season runs from April 2007 to a championship match played November 18, 2007.
* 13 clubs split into two conferences: the Western Conference will have six clubs, while the Eastern Conference will have seven, including the league's newest addition, Toronto FC. Each club plays 30 games, evenly divided among home and away matches. Each club will play every other club twice, home and away, for a total of 24 games. The remaining 6 games will all be intra-conference, with each club playing its fellow conference members an additional game. In the Western Conference, an additional game will be added to the above, highlighting a local or regional rivalry (Los Angeles vs. Chivas USA, Houston vs. FC Dallas, Salt Lake vs. Colorado).
* At season's end, the top two clubs of each conference will make the playoffs; in addition, the next four highest point totals, regardless of conference, will also be in the playoffs. In the event that a team which finishes fifth or lower in their conference qualifies, that team will be placed in the other conference's playoff bracket. In the first round of this knockout tournament, aggregate goals over two matches determine the winners; the Conference Championships are one match each, with the winner of each conference advancing to MLS Cup. In all rounds, draws will be broken with 2 15-minute periods of extra time, followed by penalty kicks if necessary. The away goals rule is not used.
* The MLS Champion (winner of MLS Cup) qualifies for the next CONCACAF Champions' Cup. Furthermore, the club with the best record in the 30 game regular season wins the MLS Supporters' Shield and also qualifies for the CONCACAF Champions' Cup. If the Supporters' Shield winner wins the MLS Cup, the runner-up to the Supporters Shield is the second qualifier.
* The two MLS clubs that qualify for the CONCACAF Champions' Cup have the ability to qualify for Copa Sudamericana if they make the final, and the FIFA Club World Cup if they win the championship. If an MLS club were to win Copa Sudamericana they would also play in Recopa Sudamericana.
* During the season, all MLS clubs may also compete in the U.S. Open Cup (except Toronto), select international tournaments, and various exhibitions.
* SuperLiga, a new MLS-Primera División de México club competition, will also make up the 2007 season schedule, with most matches occurring midweek in July and August. FC Dallas, Los Angeles Galaxy, DC United and Houston Dynamo are expected to play at least three matches each.
Bookmark this article with:
| < Prev | Next > |
|---|
