MLS

MLS Announces Full Calendar of Offseason Roster Building Events

key dates for 2018-19
<b><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,sans-serif;color:black">Nov. 26</span></b>
<span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,sans-serif;color:black">1 p.m. ET</span>
<b><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,sans-serif">Option Exercise Deadline</span></b>
<span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,sans-serif;color:black">Clubs no longer competing in the Audi 2018 MLS Cup Playoffs must notify the League Office in writing of 1) players whose options they are exercising and/or 2) players who are receiving bona fide offers, announced by the teams.</span><b><span style="font-size:10.0pt;color:black">All roster decisions will be publicized by the individual clubs.</span></b>
<b><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,sans-serif;color:black">Nov. 30</span></b>
<span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,sans-serif;color:black">1 p.m. ET</span>
<b><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,sans-serif;color:black">Option Exercise Deadline for Non-MLS Cup Participants</span></b>
<span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,sans-serif;color:black">Non-MLS Cup participants must notify the League Office in writing of 1) players whose options they are exercising and/or 2) players who are receiving bona fide offers, announced by the clubs.</span><b><span style="font-size:10.0pt;color:black">All roster decisions will be publicized by the individual clubs.</span></b>
<b><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,sans-serif;color:black">Dec. 9</span></b>
<span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,sans-serif;color:black">9 a.m. to</span><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,sans-serif;color:black">1 p.m. ET</span>
<b><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,sans-serif;color:black">Half Day Trade Window</span></b>
<span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,sans-serif;color:black">Following a three-month roster freeze, MLS clubs may begin making adjustments to their rosters. This is a four-hour window in which clubs may sign and trade players (both non-Re-Entry Draft eligible players and Re-Entry Draft eligible).</span><b><span style="font-size:10.0pt;color:black">All roster decisions will be publicized by the individual clubs.</span></b>
<a name="m_-1946122129323215761_m_9061329234198147026__Hlk496783530"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,sans-serif;color:black">12 p.m. ET</span></a>
<b><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,sans-serif;color:black">Option Exercise Deadline for MLS Cup Participants</span></b>
<span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,sans-serif;color:black">Clubs that compete in MLS Cup must notify the League Office in writing of 1) players whose options they are exercising and/or 2) players who are receiving bona fide offers.</span><b><span style="font-size:10.0pt;color:black">All roster decisions will be publicized by the individual clubs.</span></b>
<span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,sans-serif;color:black">1 p.m. ET</span>
<b><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,sans-serif;color:black">Blackout Period begins</span></b>
<span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,sans-serif;color:black">Blackout Period begins whereby clubs may no longer sign and/or trade their own draft-eligible players until conclusion of Expansion Draft.</span>
<b><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,sans-serif;color:black">Dec. 11</span></b>
<span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,sans-serif;color:black">2 p.m. ET</span>
<b><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,sans-serif;color:black">2018 MLS Expansion Draft</span></b><p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,sans-serif;color:black">(Live on </span></b><a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.mlssoccer.com/&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1541793119856000&amp;usg=AFQjCNF59tSKGVkFIDpQyKHMfSSHP91tTQ" href="https://www.mlssoccer.com/" target="_blank"><b><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,sans-serif">MLSsoccer.com</span></b></a><b><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,sans-serif;color:black">)</span></b></p>
<span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,sans-serif">While Generation adidas and off-budget Homegrown Players are automatically exempt, eligible MLS clubs may protect up to 11 players from selection in the Expansion Draft. </span><b><span style="font-size:10.0pt;color:black">The list of players available for selection in the Expansion Draft will be released by MLS Communications on Dec. 10.</span></b><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,sans-serif">FC Cincinnati may select up to five players from the eligible MLS player pool. Only a single player can be drafted from any one club.</span><ul style="margin-top:0in" type="disc"><li class="MsoNormal"><a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.mlssoccer.com/media-resources/2018-expansion-draft-rules/&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1541793119856000&amp;usg=AFQjCNGwXgvh_kos6hCSE7tVeGk9JiwINw" href="https://www.mlssoccer.com/media-resources/2018-expansion-draft-rules/" target="_blank"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,sans-serif">MLS Expansion Draft Rules</span></a></li></ul>
<span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,sans-serif;color:black">3 p.m. ET</span>
<b><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,sans-serif;color:black">Free Agency Begins</span></b>
<span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,sans-serif">Clubs may engage with players, other than their own, that are eligible for Free Agency.</span><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,sans-serif">Eligible players include Out of Contract and Option Decline players that meet the age and years-of-service parameters.</span><b><span style="font-size:10.0pt;color:black">MLS Communications will make the complete list of Free Agents available on Dec. 10. </span></b>
<b><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,sans-serif;color:black">Dec. 12</span></b>
<span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,sans-serif;color:black">4 p.m. ET</span>
<b><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,sans-serif;color:black">2018 MLS Waiver Draft</span></b>
<span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,sans-serif;color:black">Consisting of players who have been waived by clubs and do not meet minimum years of service requirement for Re-Entry Draft or Free Agency; the Waiver Draft is conducted in reverse order of 2018 season finish, taking into account postseason performance, with expansion FC Cincinnati selecting last.</span><ul style="margin-top:0in" type="disc"><li class="MsoNormal" style="color:black"><a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.mlssoccer.com/media-resources/2018-waiver-draft-rules&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1541793119856000&amp;usg=AFQjCNFcJme67hi4-oQASjg0zebGc6GlTg" href="https://www.mlssoccer.com/media-resources/2018-waiver-draft-rules" target="_blank"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,sans-serif">MLS Waiver Draft Rules</span></a></li></ul><b><span style="font-size:10.0pt;color:black">The list of players eligible for selection in Waiver Draft will be released by MLS Communications by 7 p.m. ET on Dec. 11.</span></b>
<b><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,sans-serif;color:black">Dec. 14</span></b>
<a name="m_-1946122129323215761_m_9061329234198147026__Hlk497308978"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,sans-serif;color:black">3 p.m. ET</span></a>
<b><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,sans-serif;color:black">2018 MLS Re-Entry Draft – Stage 1</span></b>
<span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,sans-serif;color:black">The Re-Entry Draft (both stages) is conducted in reverse order of 2018 season finish, taking into account postseason performance, with expansion club FC Cincinnati selecting last.</span><ul style="margin-top:0in" type="disc"><li class="MsoNormal" style="color:black"><a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.mlssoccer.com/media-resources/2018-re-entry-draft-rules&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1541793119856000&amp;usg=AFQjCNGGOG2w1yAbwz0w9lrs0817QGVb7Q" href="https://www.mlssoccer.com/media-resources/2018-re-entry-draft-rules" target="_blank"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,sans-serif">MLS Re-Entry Draft Rules</span></a></li></ul><b><span style="font-size:10.0pt;color:black">The list of players eligible for selection in the Re-Entry Draft – Stage 1 will be released by MLS Communications by 7 p.m. ET on Dec. 13.</span></b>
<b><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,sans-serif;color:black">Dec. 20</span></b>
<span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,sans-serif;color:black">2 p.m. ET</span>
<b><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,sans-serif;color:black">2018 MLS Re-Entry Draft – Stage 2</span></b>
<span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,sans-serif;color:black">The Re-Entry Draft Stage 2 is conducted in the same format as Stage 1 and consists of MLS players who were not selected in the Stage 1. Not necessarily all unselected Stage 1 players will be available as players may re-sign with their previous club between stages or may opt out of the process.</span><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,sans-serif;color:black">Teams selecting players in Stage 2 may negotiate new contracts with the player.</span><ul style="margin-top:0in" type="disc"><li class="MsoNormal" style="color:black"><a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.mlssoccer.com/media-resources/2018-re-entry-draft-rules&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1541793119856000&amp;usg=AFQjCNGGOG2w1yAbwz0w9lrs0817QGVb7Q" href="https://www.mlssoccer.com/media-resources/2018-re-entry-draft-rules" target="_blank"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,sans-serif">MLS Re-Entry Draft Rules</span></a></li></ul><b><span style="font-size:10.0pt;color:black">The list of players eligible for selection in the Re-Entry Draft – Stage 1 will be released by MLS Communications at 7 p.m. ET on Dec. 19.</span></b>