2022 MLS Next Pro season
The 2022 MLS Next Pro season is the inaugural season of MLS Next Pro, the reserve league of Major League Soccer. It is the first season since 2014 where MLS had a standalone reserve league, the previous season being the MLS Reserve League. Including both MLS Next Pro and the MLS Reserve League, it is the ninth season of a reserve league operated by MLS. The league is sanctioned as a third division league by U.S. Soccer. A total of 21 clubs, 20 MLS reserve teams and one independent team (Rochester New York FC) participate  in the 2022 season. The season began on March 25 and will conclude on September 25, 2022. Regular season. The regular season will feature 24 matches in a mostly regionalized schedule. Teams will play two or three games against teams in their conference. Only four matches total will be played between teams in opposite conferences. Each conference will also be divided into divisions of five or six teams for scheduling purposes. (H) – Home team (A) – Away team Playoffs. There will be an eight-team playoff, where the top finisher in each division will qualify, along with the next two top  finishers in each conference. Seeding within each conference will be based on conference standings, regardless of being division champions.