Fan Field Guide
Plan ahead

Sports calendar

Upcoming games, season windows and the events worth blocking off, league by league. Every league links straight to the guide that explains where the games actually air.

MLS: next two weeks

Times shown in your device time zone. Schedules and TV listings come from public league feeds and can change - confirm with the broadcaster before you plan around a game.

Season dates by league

Month windows rather than fixed dates, because leagues confirm exact schedules year by year. Green blocks show the months each league is normally playing.

College Football

Men's Football

Week zero opens in late August, conference play runs through November, and the postseason stretches from championship weekend into January.

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  • FFeb
  • MMar
  • AApr
  • MMay
  • JJun
  • JJul
  • AAug
  • SSep
  • OOct
  • NNov
  • DDec

Season shape

Kickoff Late August
Week zero and opening weekend, usually built around neutral-site showcases.
Regular season September to late November
Twelve games for most teams, with rivalry week closing the schedule.
Championship weekend Early December
Conference title games across the Big Ten, SEC, Big 12 and ACC.
Postseason Mid December to mid January
Bowl season plus the expanded playoff, ending with the national title game.

Key events

Rivalry week Late November
The Game, Iron Bowl, Bedlam-style matchups and the rest of the season-enders.
Conference championships First weekend of December
Playoff seeding is usually settled here.
National championship Mid to late January
The final game of the playoff bracket.
How to watch college footballCollege team directoryUpcoming College Football games

NFL

Men's Football

Eighteen weeks from early September into January, then a four-round playoff that ends with the Super Bowl in February.

  • JJan
  • FFeb
  • MMar
  • AApr
  • MMay
  • JJun
  • JJul
  • AAug
  • SSep
  • OOct
  • NNov
  • DDec

Season shape

Preseason August
Three exhibition games, mostly for roster evaluation.
Regular season Early September to early January
Eighteen weeks, seventeen games and one bye per team.
Playoffs January
Wild card, divisional and conference championship rounds.
Super Bowl February
One neutral-site final on a Sunday evening.

Key events

Thursday Night Football Weekly, September to December
Streaming-only on Prime Video for most of the season.
Thanksgiving triple-header Late November
Three national windows on broadcast TV.
Super Bowl February
The single biggest watch party of the year.
How to watch the NFLAll 32 NFL team hubsUpcoming NFL games

College Basketball

Men's Basketball

Tip-off in early November, conference play through the winter, then tournament month in March.

  • JJan
  • FFeb
  • MMar
  • AApr
  • MMay
  • JJun
  • JJul
  • AAug
  • SSep
  • OOct
  • NNov
  • DDec

Season shape

Non-conference November to December
Early-season tournaments and marquee neutral-site matchups.
Conference play January to early March
Double round-robin schedules and the toughest road tests.
Conference tournaments Second week of March
Automatic bids on the line every night.
NCAA Tournament Mid March to early April
Selection Sunday through the Final Four.

Key events

Selection Sunday Mid March
Bracket release, the busiest planning night of the season.
First weekend Mid to late March
Four straight days of overlapping games.
Final Four Early April
Neutral-site semifinals and the title game.
How to watch March MadnessConference hubsUpcoming College Basketball games

NBA

Men's Basketball

An 82-game season from late October to mid April, followed by the play-in and a four-round playoff into June.

  • JJan
  • FFeb
  • MMar
  • AApr
  • MMay
  • JJun
  • JJul
  • AAug
  • SSep
  • OOct
  • NNov
  • DDec

Season shape

Regular season Late October to mid April
82 games, with an in-season tournament folded into the schedule.
Play-in Mid April
Seeds seven through ten fight for the last playoff spots.
Playoffs Late April to May
Best-of-seven rounds through the conference finals.
Finals June
Best-of-seven championship series.

Key events

Opening night Late October
National doubleheader to start the season.
Christmas Day slate December 25
Five nationally televised games.
All-Star weekend Mid February
Skills events on Saturday, the game on Sunday.
Streaming guidesNBA team directoryUpcoming NBA games

WNBA

Women's Basketball

A summer season from May through September, with playoffs and the Finals running into October.

  • JJan
  • FFeb
  • MMar
  • AApr
  • MMay
  • JJun
  • JJul
  • AAug
  • SSep
  • OOct
  • NNov
  • DDec

Season shape

Regular season May to early September
Forty-plus games across the summer.
Playoffs September
Bracket play across three rounds.
Finals Late September to October
Championship series.

Key events

Opening weekend Mid May
National windows on broadcast and cable.
All-Star game July
One weekend showcase mid-season.
Commissioner's Cup final Summer
A one-off in-season title game.
Streaming guidesWNBA team directoryUpcoming WNBA games

MLB

Men's Baseball

Spring training in February, a 162-game season from late March into September, then October baseball.

  • JJan
  • FFeb
  • MMar
  • AApr
  • MMay
  • JJun
  • JJul
  • AAug
  • SSep
  • OOct
  • NNov
  • DDec

Season shape

Spring training February to March
Grapefruit and Cactus League exhibitions.
Regular season Late March to late September
162 games, most nights of the week.
Postseason October
Wild card, division and championship series.
World Series Late October to early November
Best-of-seven final.

Key events

Opening Day Late March
Nearly every club plays on the same afternoon.
All-Star Game Mid July
Home Run Derby the night before.
World Series Late October
The biggest ticket of the baseball year.
How to watch MLBMLB team directoryUpcoming MLB games

NHL

Men's Hockey

An 82-game season from October to April, then two months of playoff hockey ending with the Stanley Cup Final.

  • JJan
  • FFeb
  • MMar
  • AApr
  • MMay
  • JJun
  • JJul
  • AAug
  • SSep
  • OOct
  • NNov
  • DDec

Season shape

Regular season October to mid April
82 games per club.
Playoffs Late April to May
Best-of-seven rounds, sixteen teams.
Stanley Cup Final June
Best-of-seven championship series.

Key events

Winter Classic January 1
Outdoor game in a football or baseball stadium.
Stadium Series February
Additional outdoor games.
Trade deadline Early March
Rosters lock for the playoff push.
Streaming guidesNHL team directoryUpcoming NHL games

MLS

Men's Soccer

A season that runs late winter through the fall, with the playoffs and MLS Cup closing it out in December.

  • JJan
  • FFeb
  • MMar
  • AApr
  • MMay
  • JJun
  • JJul
  • AAug
  • SSep
  • OOct
  • NNov
  • DDec

Season shape

Regular season Late February to October
34 matches per club across two conferences.
Playoffs October to November
Bracket play, with early rounds in a best-of-three format.
MLS Cup December
Single-match final hosted by the higher seed.

Key events

Opening weekend Late February
Every club in action across one weekend.
Leagues Cup Summer
Cross-border tournament that pauses league play.
Decision Day October
All final-round matches kick off simultaneously.
How to watch soccer in the USMLS club directoryUpcoming MLS games

NWSL

Women's Soccer

A spring-to-fall season with the playoffs and championship match in November.

  • JJan
  • FFeb
  • MMar
  • AApr
  • MMay
  • JJun
  • JJul
  • AAug
  • SSep
  • OOct
  • NNov
  • DDec

Season shape

Regular season March to early November
Balanced schedule across the league.
Playoffs November
Quarterfinals through the semifinals.
Championship Late November
Neutral-site final.

Key events

Opening weekend Mid March
National broadcast windows to start the year.
Summer international break June to July
League play pauses for national team windows.
NWSL Championship Late November
The title match, in prime time.
How to watch soccer in the USNWSL club directoryUpcoming NWSL games

Premier League

Men's Soccer

August through May, with morning kickoffs in the US and a congested holiday fixture list.

  • JJan
  • FFeb
  • MMar
  • AApr
  • MMay
  • JJun
  • JJul
  • AAug
  • SSep
  • OOct
  • NNov
  • DDec

Season shape

Season opens Mid August
38 matches per club.
Festive period Late December to early January
Boxing Day and midweek rounds stacked together.
Run-in April to May
Title, European places and relegation all decided.

Key events

Boxing Day December 26
A full round of fixtures on one day.
Manchester and Merseyside derbies Twice per season
The marquee domestic matchups.
Final day May
Every match kicks off at the same time.
How to watch the Premier LeagueUpcoming Premier League games
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