Major League Soccer

Verified Timeline

Lore & Background

The predecessor of MLS was the North American Soccer League (NASL), which existed from 1968 until 1984. MLS was founded in 1993 as part of the United States' successful bid to host the 1994 FIFA World Cup. The inaugural season took place in 1996 with ten teams. MLS experienced financial and operational struggles in its first few years, losing millions of dollars and folding two teams in 2002. Since then, developments such as the proliferation of soccer-specific stadiums, the Designated Player Rule, and national TV contracts have made MLS profitable. In 2024, with an average attendance of over 23,200 per match, MLS had the third-highest average attendance of major professional sports leagues in the United States and Canada, behind the NFL and MLB. The MLS regular season typically starts in late February and runs through mid-October, with each team playing 34 matches; the team with the best record is awarded the Supporters' Shield. Eighteen teams compete in the postseason MLS Cup playoffs in late October and November, culminating in the MLS Cup. MLS is a single entity in which each team is owned by the league and individually operated by the league's investors. The league has a fixed membership, making it one of the few soccer leagues that does not use promotion and relegation.

In Their Own Story

Nu Stadium opened on April 4, 2026, as the new home stadium of Inter Miami CF. In addition to their normal home venues, some teams have scheduled matches at other stadiums to increase capacity. All teams use Adidas as universal kit manufacturer. As part of Apple's broadcast contract, all MLS kits include Apple TV+ as a sleeve sponsor. The regular season is scheduled to run from February 21 to November 7, with a six-week break from May 25 to July 16 for the 2026 FIFA World Cup. The playoffs are scheduled for an uninterrupted period in November and December, with MLS Cup 2026 set for December 18. The 2026 season will be the final full season played under the spring–autumn format, as MLS plans to transition to a summer–spring format beginning with the 2027–28 season; a shortened season with 14 matches is scheduled to be played in early 2027.

Reader's Guide

The LA Galaxy have the most MLS Cups, with six. They are tied with D.C. United for most Supporters' Shields, with four each. The Philadelphia Union are the current Supporters' Shield holders, having won their second title in 2025, while the current MLS Cup champion is Inter Miami CF, winning their first title in 2025. Chris Wondolowski holds the all-time goalscoring record in MLS with 171 goals scored between 2005 and 2021.

Did You Know?

• The first MLS match was held on April 6, 1996, as the San Jose Clash defeated D.C. United in front of 31,000 fans at Spartan Stadium.
• Tab Ramos was the first player signed by MLS, on January 3, 1995.
• Columbus Crew Stadium, built in 1999, was the first soccer-specific stadium in MLS.
• The league lost an estimated $250 million during its first five years.