What Sport Season Is It Right Now? A Month-by-Month Guide to US Sports
The American sports calendar never really stops. Here is what is in season each month, when the playoffs start and where the big finals fall on the calendar.
In this article
There is no true off-season in American sports. When one league crowns a champion, another is already in training camp. The tricky part is that the major leagues overlap in complicated ways: in late October, for example, you can watch the NFL, the NBA, the NHL, college football and the World Series in the same week.
This guide answers the question by month. Exact dates move a little every year, so treat the windows below as the normal rhythm of each season rather than fixed dates, and check the league's official schedule for the current year.
The short answer by season
| Time of year | What is in season | Big events |
|---|---|---|
| Fall (Sep–Nov) | NFL, college football, MLB postseason, NBA and NHL openers, MLS playoffs | World Series, start of NBA and NHL regular seasons |
| Winter (Dec–Feb) | NFL playoffs, NBA, NHL, college basketball | College Football Playoff, Super Bowl, NBA and NHL All-Star games |
| Spring (Mar–May) | MLB opens, NBA and NHL playoffs, MLS and NWSL, March Madness | NCAA Final Four, The Masters, Kentucky Derby |
| Summer (Jun–Aug) | MLB, WNBA, MLS, NWSL, golf and tennis majors | NBA Finals, Stanley Cup Final, MLB All-Star Game, Wimbledon |
The big four leagues at a glance
| League | Regular season | Playoffs | Championship |
|---|---|---|---|
| NFL | Early September – early January (17 games per team) | Mid to late January | Super Bowl, early to mid February |
| NBA | Late October – mid April (82 games) | Play-In mid April, playoffs mid April – June | NBA Finals, June |
| MLB | Late March – late September (162 games) | October | World Series, late October |
| NHL | Early October – mid April (82 games) | Mid April – June | Stanley Cup Final, June |
The NBA and NHL run almost in parallel, which is why spring is the busiest stretch of the year for basketball and hockey fans: both postseasons overlap with the opening months of baseball.
Month by month
January
January belongs to the NFL playoffs. The regular season wraps up in the first week of the month and the Wild Card round follows immediately. College football also crowns its champion in January with the College Football Playoff final. Meanwhile the NBA, the NHL and college basketball are deep into their regular seasons, and tennis opens its Grand Slam year with the Australian Open.
February
The Super Bowl is usually played on the second Sunday of February, which ends the NFL season. February also brings the NBA All-Star Game, the Daytona 500 that opens the NASCAR Cup Series season, and the start of MLB spring training in Florida and Arizona. In MLS, preseason camps wind down as the new season approaches.
March
March is defined by college basketball. Conference tournaments lead into Selection Sunday and the NCAA Tournament, better known as March Madness. Major League Baseball usually holds Opening Day in the last days of March, while MLS and the NWSL are in their first weeks of play. The NBA and NHL head into the final month of their regular seasons.
April
The NCAA Final Four is played in early April. Golf's first major, The Masters at Augusta National, is held in the second week. The NBA regular season ends in mid April, followed by the Play-In Tournament and the playoffs, and the NHL playoffs begin at almost the same time. Baseball is now in full swing.
May
May is about the conference rounds of the NBA and NHL playoffs. The WNBA tips off its regular season, the Kentucky Derby runs on the first Saturday of the month and the PGA Championship is played. The Indianapolis 500 usually takes place on Memorial Day weekend, and the French Open starts at the end of the month.
June
The NBA Finals and the Stanley Cup Final both crown champions in June. The U.S. Open golf championship is played, Wimbledon starts at the end of the month and the College World Series decides the college baseball title in Omaha. MLB, the WNBA, MLS and the NWSL continue their regular seasons.
July
July is the quietest month for the big four, with no NFL, NBA or NHL games. Baseball takes center stage with the MLB All-Star Game in mid July, and the trade deadline approaches at the end of the month. Golf's final major, The Open Championship, and the end of Wimbledon also fall in July. The NBA Summer League gives fans a first look at rookies.
August
NFL training camps open and the preseason begins. College football kicks off in the last week of August, and the US Open tennis tournament starts in New York. The PGA Tour's FedEx Cup playoffs wrap up the golf season, and the MLB pennant races heat up.
September
The NFL regular season starts in the first or second week of September. College football is in full swing, MLB finishes its regular season at the end of the month, and the WNBA playoffs begin. The US Open tennis finals are played in the first half of the month.
October
October is the most crowded month on the calendar. The MLB postseason runs all month and ends with the World Series. The NHL opens its regular season early in the month, the NBA follows in the second half, and the NFL and college football are at mid-season. The MLS Cup Playoffs begin late in the month and the WNBA Finals usually wrap up early in October.
November
Football dominates November, including the traditional Thanksgiving Day NFL games. College basketball opens its season, the NBA plays its in-season tournament, the NBA Cup, and the NASCAR Cup Series crowns its champion. MLS Cup Playoffs continue.
December
The MLS Cup final is usually played in early December. College football holds its conference championship games, announces the College Football Playoff field and starts bowl season. The NFL races toward the playoffs, and the NBA and NHL play busy holiday schedules, including the NBA's Christmas Day games.
Sports that run all year
Some sports do not follow a single season. The UFC and professional boxing hold events nearly every month. Professional tennis and golf have tours that stretch across almost the whole year, with short breaks in December. Soccer fans following European leagues get club games from August to May, which fills the gap left by MLS in winter.
How to check the exact dates for this year
League calendars move by a week or two from year to year, and labor disputes or special events can shift them further. The most reliable sources are the official league websites: NFL.com, NBA.com, MLB.com, NHL.com and MLSsoccer.com all publish full schedules months in advance. For college sports, the NCAA website lists championship dates for every division.
Frequently asked questions
What sports are in season in the fall?
Fall is the busiest season. The NFL and college football are in full swing, MLB plays its postseason and World Series in October, the NHL and NBA start their regular seasons in October, and the MLS Cup Playoffs begin late in the year.
Which month has the most sports going on?
October. In most years, the NFL, college football, the MLB postseason, the NBA, the NHL and the MLS playoffs all overlap during the last two weeks of the month.
Is there any month with no major US sports?
No. July is the quietest month for the NFL, NBA and NHL, but baseball, the WNBA, MLS and the NWSL are all in their regular seasons, and golf and tennis hold major events.
When do the NBA and NHL playoffs start?
Both usually start in mid April, right after their regular seasons end, and run until their finals in June.