The MLS offseason might be approaching, and that typically means a few months without action in North America's top soccer league. This time around, the break won't feel like it'll be that long. With U.S. Soccer's winter camp now taking place a month earlier than usual, only a few weeks will separate the end of the MLS Cup Playoffs from international action. After that camp, U.S. soccer fans will only need to wait two months for the MLS sprint season to begin.
Though the change to the calendar was made official well before today, we now know what the USMNT's December camp plans will look like. Specifically, the USMNT will take on Jamaica during their pre-winter international friendly. The match will take place at the Nu Stadium, the new home of Inter Miami, on December 13. It will begin during the mid-to-late afternoon portion of the television schedule, with kickoff set for 3:30 p.m. Eastern Time.
But there's no international break in mid-December?
And you'd be correct in saying that! Almost two months will separate the mid-November international window from the AFC Asian Cup, which will take place from January 7 to February 5. In fact, the next global international window after November will take place in late March and will consist of the final stages of the 2026-27 CONCACAF Nations League.
While players who are based in Europe get the opportunity to see action throughout the winter, those who are signed to contracts with North American clubs don't yet have that opportunity. That means that they get more time to put performances together and give their coaching staff more of a means to assess their ability to contribute ahead of spring international contests. In comparison, those that play in MLS only get the postseason (if they make it at all) and the early few games of the next regular season.
The offseason international camp essentially acts as a means to give American MLS stars an opportunity to represent their nation that wouldn't typically be presented to those who play throughout the middle part of the campaign.
And with MLS gaining more of a representation in this latest variation of the USMNT, the camp suddenly gains that much more of a meaning for such players. We've already seen Cavan Sullivan and others get the chance to earn minutes for Mauricio Pochettino, but others like Toronto FC's Josh Sargent could easily find themselves in contention for that window if they continue to put some form together for their MLS clubs.
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