INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — The NCAA announced Wednesday that the Division I men’s soccer season will be split into fall and spring, with the national tournament moving to the spring starting in 2027-28.
The Sports Oversight Committee adopted the bill, which will be reviewed by the Division I Cabinet in June.
Teams will be allowed to play 18 games from late August until the Saturday before Thanksgiving, and up to 10 games from mid-February until the start of the NCAA Tournament. The exact dates for the postseason will be determined in the future.
There has been no move yet to reorganize the women’s season.
The Men’s Oversight Committee introduced the new model in January with a rationale focused on the welfare of students and athletes.
The committee said a fall-to-spring schedule would, among other things, reduce turnaround time and give athletes a more balanced academic and athletic experience. Fewer midweek games means less chance of missing class. And there will be even more recovery time between matches.
Currently, the Division I men’s soccer season is held over a 10- to 13-week fall window, with the College Cup held in December.
“This is a new era for college soccer,” 2025 national champion Washington coach Jamie Clark said in a statement to The Associated Press. “Through the new calendar, we hope to build positive momentum and create even more excitement in the sport. We have done a great job under our current model of developing exciting products and preparing players to be professionals in life on the field. Now we will take on the challenge of making the most of this new model.”
The committee also adjusted the spring transfer window after the College Cup to 15 consecutive days. There are currently two transfer windows, totaling 45 days.
___
AP college sports: https://apnews.com/hub/college-sports
