Fan's Guide to MLS Rules and VAR for Canadian Clubs 2026

The referee always makes the final decision. Only the referee can start a review: the VAR and other match officials can only recommend one. The referee must make an original decision first (no "no decision"), and that decision is not changed unless the video shows a "clear and obvious error".

Players and coaches cannot request a check or review, because the VAR automatically checks every situation. Players, substitutes and team officials must not surround the referee or try to influence the review process or the final decision. During a review, players stay on the field of play and substitutes and team officials stay off it. The referee stays visible during the review.

Source: IFAB Laws of the Game 2026/27, VAR protocol https://www.theifab.com/laws/latest/video-assistant-referee-var-protocol/

• Check: the VAR automatically checks the footage of every potential or actual goal, penalty, direct red card or mistaken identity incident. If there is no clear and obvious error, there is usually no need to speak to the referee (a "silent check"). When a restart is delayed for a check, the referee holds a finger to the earpiece and extends the other arm.
• Review: if the check shows a probable clear and obvious error or serious missed incident, the referee decides whether to start a review. If play has not already stopped, the referee stops it when the ball is next in a neutral zone or situation and shows the "TV signal".
• VAR-only review: the referee decides using their own perception and the VAR's information. This is usually appropriate for factual decisions such as offside position, point of contact or whether the offence was inside the penalty area.
• On-field review (OFR): the referee goes to the referee review area to watch the replay. This is appropriate for subjective decisions such as the intensity of a foul challenge or handball considerations.

Players and team officials who excessively show the TV signal or enter the review area are cautioned. Anyone who enters the video operation room is sent off.

Source: https://www.theifab.com/laws/latest/video-assistant-referee-var-protocol/

Time: the IFAB protocol sets no maximum time limit for a review, because accuracy of the final decision is more important than speed.

After a restart: if play has stopped and been restarted, the referee may only review a case of mistaken identity, or a potential sending-off offence relating to violent conduct, spitting, biting or extremely offensive, insulting and/or abusive action(s). Restart decisions such as corner kicks and throw-ins cannot be changed once play has restarted, so they cannot be reviewed.

Match validity: a match is not invalidated in principle by a VAR technology malfunction, a wrong decision involving the VAR, a decision not to review, or a review of a non-reviewable decision.

Source: IFAB Laws of the Game 2026/27, VAR protocol https://www.theifab.com/laws/latest/video-assistant-referee-var-protocol/

In MLS, VAR decisions are announced by the centre referee to fans in the stadium and to viewers on broadcasts. The MLS competition guidelines also say stoppage time can be added at the end of each period to account for video reviews, among other causes.

Video Review is used at all MLS Cup Playoff games and at MLS Cup presented by Audi.

Under the IFAB protocol, the referee ends every review by showing the "TV signal" immediately followed by the final decision.

Sources: https://www.mlssoccer.com/about/competition-guidelines and https://www.theifab.com/laws/latest/video-assistant-referee-var-protocol/

Toronto FC, CF Montréal and Vancouver Whitecaps FC follow the same roster rules as the other 27 MLS clubs, apart from the Canadian-specific rules in the next two answers.

• Active roster: up to 30 players, all eligible for the game-day squad in the regular season and playoffs.
• Senior Roster (slots 1 to 20): counts against the 2026 Salary Budget of $6,425,000. Clubs do not have to fill slots 19 and 20.
• Supplemental Roster (slots 21 to 31): salaries do not count against the Salary Budget. Slot 31 is for a player on a season-long loan to a lower-division club in the U.S. or Canada, and that player can only play in MLS as a short-term call-up.
• Match day: each team selects a maximum of 20 players for its official match roster (11 starters and nine substitutes), with up to five normal substitutions over three opportunities, plus one permanent concussion substitution.

Sources: https://www.mlssoccer.com/about/roster-rules-and-regulations and https://www.mlssoccer.com/about/competition-guidelines

A Canadian club must have a minimum of three Canadian Domestic Players on its roster at all times.

For a Canadian club, a domestic player is:

• a Canadian citizen, or the holder of certain other special status (such as having been granted refugee or asylum status);
• a player who qualifies under the Homegrown International Rule; or
• a U.S. Domestic Player.

There is no limit on the number of U.S. Domestic Players or Canadian Domestic Players on a Canadian club's roster.

Source: https://www.mlssoccer.com/about/roster-rules-and-regulations

In 2026 a total of 241 international roster slots are divided among the 30 clubs. The slots are tradable, so some clubs have more than eight and some fewer, and slots must be traded in full-season increments (with a limited exception for slots traded within or before the Primary Transfer Window, which can return to the original club in the Secondary Window).

Canadian clubs get an extra allowance: each may designate up to three International Players who have been under contract with MLS and registered with one or more Canadian clubs for at least one year, and those players do not count toward the club's international slots.

A player who qualifies under the Homegrown International Rule counts as a domestic player on both U.S. and Canadian rosters. To qualify, the player must have joined an MLS club academy (in the U.S. or Canada) or a Canadian Approved Youth Club no later than the year he turned 15, and signed his first professional contract with MLS or an MLS club's affiliate (MLS NEXT Pro).

Source: https://www.mlssoccer.com/about/roster-rules-and-regulations

MLS clubs have a 2026 Salary Budget of $6,425,000 for the Senior Roster, and the maximum Salary Budget Charge for one player is $803,125. A Designated Player is a player whose total compensation and acquisition costs exceed that maximum, with the club paying the amount above the player's Salary Budget Charge.

For 2026 each club declared one of two roster construction paths by February 20:

• Three Designated Player model: up to three Designated Players and up to three U22 Initiative Players.
• U22 Initiative Player model: up to two Designated Players, up to four U22 Initiative Players, and up to an additional $2 million of General Allocation Money (which must be used in the same season and by the Roster Freeze Date).

Clubs could conditionally switch models at midseason, between July 1 and the close of the Secondary Transfer Window on September 2, 2026.

Source: https://www.mlssoccer.com/about/roster-rules-and-regulations

Each of the 30 clubs plays 34 regular season matches (17 home, 17 away): conference opponents twice and six different cross-conference opponents once. A win earns three points, a tie one and a loss none.

Seeds 1 to 7 in each conference qualify directly for the Round One best-of-3 series. Seeds 8 and 9 play a single-game Wild Card. Toronto FC and CF Montréal are in the Eastern Conference and Vancouver Whitecaps FC is in the Western Conference.

If clubs finish level on points, the first tiebreakers are total wins, then goal differential, then goals for, then head-to-head (intraconference only). The guidelines continue with further tiebreakers (including fewest disciplinary points and away and home goal measures) and end with a coin toss for two clubs or a drawing of lots for three or more. If a club cannot play its full 34-match schedule because of cancellations, qualification is decided by points per game.

Source: https://www.mlssoccer.com/about/competition-guidelines

• Wild Card (seeds 8 and 9 in each conference): one single-elimination game hosted by the higher seed. If tied after 90 minutes there is no extra time and the game goes to a penalty shootout.
• Round One (best-of-3): the winner of each Wild Card game plays the No. 1 seed. The other matchups are 2 v 7, 3 v 6 and 4 v 5. The higher seed hosts Games 1 and 3 (if needed) and the lower seed hosts Game 2. The first team to win two games advances. A tied game has no extra time and goes straight to a penalty shootout, so every game has a winner.
• Conference Semifinals and Conference Finals: single games hosted by the higher seed. If tied after 90 minutes, two 15-minute extra time periods are played, then a penalty shootout if needed.
• MLS Cup presented by Audi: one match hosted by the finalist ranked higher in the Supporters' Shield standings, with the same extra time and penalty shootout rules.

Playoff substitutions: five normal substitutions over three opportunities plus one concussion substitute, including extra time. No extra substitutions are added for extra time.

Source: https://www.mlssoccer.com/about/competition-guidelines

Regular season (players): five yellow cards brings a $250 fine and a suspension from the next regular season match. Further suspensions follow at 8 total ($500 fine), 11 total ($750) and 13 total ($1,000), then every two yellows after that, with the fine doubling. A player who appears in five consecutive matches without a yellow, red or supplemental discipline has his total reduced by one (up to three times a season).

Team officials: three yellow cards over the regular season means a fine and a suspension from the next regular season match.

Playoffs: yellow card accumulation thresholds reset entering the playoffs. A player who receives a red card in any playoff match, straight red or two yellows, is suspended for his next match. A red card or second yellow in a club's last regular season match carries into the first playoff match.

Source: https://www.mlssoccer.com/about/competition-guidelines

From the MLS 2026 roster rules (as of February 3, 2026):

• Roster Compliance Date: Friday, February 20, 2026 by 8 p.m. ET. Clubs must be roster and budget compliant for the start of the season.
• Primary Transfer Window: Monday, January 26 to Thursday, March 26, 2026.
• Secondary Transfer Window: Monday, July 13 to Wednesday, September 2, 2026.
• Roster Freeze Date: Friday, October 9, 2026. Clubs must submit their final 30-player roster, and rosters cannot be changed from that date through the day after MLS Cup, subject to Extreme Hardship.

Source: https://www.mlssoccer.com/about/roster-rules-and-regulations