MLS conference alignment and schedule construction for 2021 season

Major League Soccer released its schedule for the 2021 season on Wednesday with each of the league's 27 clubs set to play 34 games, 17 home and 17 away, over the course of the regular season. Here are all the details on how the two conferences will be aligned and how the schedule has been constructed for the coming season. 

Schedule Construction

Eastern Conference

• The 14 Eastern Conference teams will play each of six regional Eastern Conference opponents three times (18 games) and the seven remaining Eastern Conference opponents twice (14 games)

• Eastern Conference teams will play two cross-conference games, facing a different Western Conference opponent for each of those matches (2 games)

Western Conference

• Eleven of the 13 Western Conference teams will play eight regional Western Conference opponents three times (24 games) and the remaining four Western Conference opponents twice (8 games)

• Those 11 Western Conference teams will play two cross-conference games, facing a different Eastern Conference opponent for each of those matches (2 games)

• Due to the odd number of clubs in the Western Conference, two Western Conference teams will have a slightly different schedule construction:
• Those two teams will play seven Western Conference opponents three times (21 games), and the five remaining Western Conference opponents twice (10 games) 
• They will also play three cross-conference matches against three different Eastern Conference opponents (3 games)