Major League Soccer has rapidly expanded since 2018, adding seven new teams and nine soccer-specific stadiums across the United States to boost the league’s footprint and fan experience [1, 2]. Attendance has increased by 35% over this period, reflecting growing interest in professional soccer in the US [1, 2].
MLS club valuations have tripled since 2018 and now total roughly $23 billion, underlining the league’s commercial rise [1, 2]. The league also revised roster rules to encourage investment in young players, signaling a shift toward developing talent rather than relying on aging stars [1, 2].
MLS Commissioner Don Garber dismissed claims that the league functions as a retirement destination for players, noting the average MLS player age is 26. "He certainly did not come here to retire. The guy plays a full 90 every single game and scraps as if winning that game is as important as winning any other match he's played in," Garber said about superstar Lionel Messi, who recently joined Inter Miami—a move that shifted international perceptions of MLS [1]. Garber also revealed MLS’s interest in signing Mohamed Salah following his departure from Liverpool, showcasing the league's ambition to attract top-level talent [1, 2].
MLS launched a global media partnership with Apple to expand its reach and capitalize on growing soccer viewership [1, 2]. Garber highlighted the arrival of Messi at Inter Miami as a turning point for MLS’s global profile, noting the league competed with Barcelona and Saudi teams to sign him [1, 2].
Launching in 2018, MLS began planning to leverage the 2026 FIFA World Cup, which North America will co-host, as a major growth opportunity [1, 2]. Garber described the tournament as "more like the front porch to a new house" rather than a brief spectacle, emphasizing that MLS aims for sustained popularity beyond the six-week event [1]. He said the league’s key measures of success will be increased popularity, relevance, fan engagement, and higher attendance post-World Cup [1].
MLS expects momentum from the 2026 World Cup to accelerate the league’s development and cement soccer’s place in the US sports landscape [1, 2]. Garber’s interview on June 8 underlined confidence that MLS’s strategic growth since 2018 positions it well to benefit from the tournament and sustain its upward trajectory [1, 2].