Major League Soccer (MLS) commissioner Don Garber says that the league has experienced a “transformational year,” attributing this positive shift to the arrival of Lionel Messi.
Major League Soccer (MLS) commissioner Don Garber mentions that the league has experienced a “transformational year,” giving credit to Lionel Messi’s arrival and the broadcast deal with Apple TV, which generated unprecedented interest. However, he acknowledges the challenge of fitting in various club and country competitions, despite North America becoming the “epicenter” of the game with the World Cup, Copa America, and FIFA Club World Cup all scheduled for the region. In his annual “State of the League” address ahead of the MLS Cup final between Columbus Crew and Los Angeles FC, Garber notes that MLS is on an upward trend in all key areas.
“Lionel Messi had numerous options for the next chapter of his iconic soccer career. The significance of his decision to join MLS cannot be overstated,” remarked Garber.
“We have a World Cup champion, an eight-time Ballon d’Or winner playing in our league. We’re not just part of the global sports conversation; we are one of the biggest stories in the world, certainly one of the biggest stories this summer,” Garber added.
Messi joining a new 10-year global streaming deal with Apple TV means that now more fans are watching MLS games worldwide than ever before, according to Garber. However, he didn’t disclose the exact number of viewers on Apple.
A lot of people are going to watch MLS games at stadiums. For example, the match between Los Angeles FC and Los Angeles Galaxy on July 4th at the Rose Bowl had a record-breaking 82,110 fans.
Smashing Success
Garber mentioned that almost 12 million fans attended MLS games this year, and he praised the Leagues Cup, which was a big success and involved teams from Mexico’s Liga MX.
Messi and Inter Miami won a tournament during the MLS regular season. The World Cup-style setup convinced those who had doubts.
Messi and Inter Miami won a tournament during the MLS regular season. World Cup-style format won over my skeptics.
The Leagues Cup games are being added to a busy schedule, with major tournaments planned in the USA in the next few years.
Next year, the USA will host the Copa America, followed by the FIFA Club World Cup with 32 teams, a year before the World Cup. The World Cup will be co-hosted with Canada and Mexico.
“For the next few years, North America will be the main hub for soccer,” he said.
Balancing the Leagues Cup, CONCACAF Champions Cup, US Open Cup, regular season, and playoffs poses a challenge to fit in all the games while ensuring players aren’t overwhelmed and burnt out.
Garber mentioned that MLS wouldn’t pause during Copa America because they couldn’t afford to stop their season. Instead, they would need to be “creative” with their schedule.
MLS typically continues playing during the regional CONCACAF Gold Cup, but Garber stated that there’s no doubt the league would take a break during the World Cup.
“He mentioned that the World Cup in 2026 will be unique. I find it hard to believe that there will be matches played during that time, but the financial effects of it are important,” he stated.
Garber suggested that the overall plan might need adjustments in how the MLS season is set up. He hinted that adopting a system like “Apertura and Clausura,” used in some South and Central American countries, as well as Mexico, where the season is divided into two separate halves, could be considered as one option.
Garber mentioned that MLS is discussing with US Soccer to find ways to make the knockout stage of the US Open Cup better.
The process is still happening, and there might be changes to our involvement in the future. Right now, we can’t announce anything specific.
The process is still happening, and there might be changes to our involvement in the future. Right now, we can’t announce anything specific.
