Major League Soccer

The 2026 MLS season is building on the strongest three-year period of fan growth in league history, fueled by record-setting crowds, expanding global reach, and the passion of soccer fans across North America and beyond. ◾ Viewership up 62% year-over-year, averaging 7.9 million live match viewers per week across streaming and linear platforms. ◾ Following the highest Opening Weekend attendance in league history, more than 4.8 million fans attended matches through May, averaging 22,109 fans per match. ◾ Three matches surpassed 72,000 fans, each ranking in the top 10 largest crowds in MLS history. ◾ Five clubs set new single-match attendance records. ◾ 5.71 billion social impressions through the first three months of the season – up 17% year-over-year. ◾ Nearly 113 million followers across MLS and club social channels – a 14% increase year-over-year. ◾ With an average age of 39.6, MLS has the youngest fan base among major professional U.S. men’s sports leagues.   With the 2026 FIFA World Cup approaching, MLS remains at the center of the game’s growth across North America with a record number of MLS players representing their countries on the global stage, 13 MLS cities serving as host markets, and nearly 40 MLS stadiums and training facilities supporting the tournament.   MLS will resume play July 16–17 during the closing week of the FIFA World Cup with six matchups airing across Apple TV and linear networks in the US and Canada, including a primetime doubleheader on FOX on July 17.   Learn More: https://lnkd.in/eBewVEnb

Closing out #AsianPacificHeritageMonth with Harika Kasireddy, who serves as Manager of Digital Product Operations for the League Office. MLS is proud to celebrate all members of our Asians in MLS (AIM) Employee Resource Group, and recognize the leadership, creativity, and community they build every day. Their stories reflect the power of representation and the value of creating space to lead, grow, and be heard.

Today we spotlight C.J. L., as part of our #AsianPacificHeritageMonth celebration recognizing the talented members of our Asians in MLS (AIM) Employee Resource Group. C.J. brings a wealth of experience and creativity to our Marketing team.

Continuing our Asians in MLS (AIM) Employee Resource Group spotlights for #AsianPacificHeritageMonth, today we recognize Ishan Thaker, a member of our Technology Team.

⚽ NOW HIRING: Senior Director, Match Business | MLS/SUM This is not a traditional sports marketing role. We are looking for a strong operational leader with experience across: 🏟️ Venue operations 🎟️ Large scale live events ⚡ Match day execution 🤝 Venue/stadium relationships 📋 Operational planning + settlements The right person understands how to lead complex, high visibility events from planning through execution while partnering across multiple stakeholder groups. Backgrounds from: ⚽ Soccer 🏈 NFL 🏟️ NCAA 🌍 FIFA / CONCACAF 🎤 Major live events or entertainment We are especially interested in candidates with strong knowledge of the U.S. venue landscape, hands on event operations experience and the ability to lead calmly in fast paced environments. 📍 NYC based ✈️ Travel required If this sounds aligned with your background, please apply directly via the link below. 📌 Apply here: https://lnkd.in/ehRzV9Cg To help manage candidate flow efficiently, please apply through the posting. No DMs needed at this time. #Hiring #SportsBusiness #VenueOperations #EventOperations #MLS #SportsJobs #LiveEvents

Join MLS as we celebrate #AsianPacificHeritageMonth by spotlighting members of our Asians in MLS (AIM) Employee Resource Group.   Today we are excited to feature Ted Lee, Senior Manager of Club Marketing. See his profile to know why representation matters to him. 

Today marks a major milestone as we are proud to officially unveil our new global headquarters at 2 Penn Plaza in New York City, a space designed to reflect the growth, ambition, and future of our league.   A purpose-built, technology-enabled hub that brings together our people, our clubs, and the game itself, every detail reflects who we are as a league with key features including:   ◾ 126,000 sq ft across two floors ◾ 80+ meeting and collaboration spaces ◾ Designed around an “office as a stadium” concept inspired by the game ◾ Home to MLS’ Match Day Center Operations Hub ◾ Integrated digital signage with real-time sports data ◾ Tunnel-inspired arrival experience with dynamic lighting and customizable digital moments ◾ Tifo-inspired installations, club moments, and curated artifacts reinforcing our league’s connection to its communities, players, and fans Symbolizing a pivotal transition for MLS, the new headquarters is a celebration of three decades of building the sport’s foundation. As MLS continues to grow, this new home strengthens our ability to operate at a global scale, and reinforces our commitment to investing in the future of the sport. Photo Credit: Eric Laignel

Major League Soccer is proud to introduce the 2026 cohort of the MLS Innovation Lab, our third class comprised of leading startup companies from around the world helping shape the future of the game. ◾ Springbok Analytics ◾ ORRECO ◾ FIT:MATCH.ai ◾ Advanced Image Robotics ◾ WMT Digital With this year’s cohort focused on the areas of player performance, fan engagement, and media production, throughout the program each member of the cohort will work alongside MLS to participate in real-world testing at environments at marquee league events, delivering insights and solutions that can scale across the league’s ecosystem.   Reinforcing the league’s commitment to remaining at the forefront of technology in global soccer, the MLS Innovation Lab is a key component of the league’s broader innovation strategy of identifying emerging technologies that can shape the future of the industry for years to come.   Learn more: https://lnkd.in/eY5gd5QH

Today, in partnership with KKR, MLS is proud to announce the creation of Hometown Soccer Holdings, a new platform designed to support the evolution of MLS NEXT Pro. Since its formation in 2022 as a professional soccer league in the U.S. and Canada that completes the pro player pathway from MLS NEXT to MLS first teams, MLS NEXT Pro has become a critical part of the MLS ecosystem and a driving force of soccer’s growth across North America. This investment will act as a commercial engine supporting stadium development in new communities, creating new club brands for MLS-affiliated teams, and enhancing the fan experience. Today’s announcement exemplifies the belief and momentum not only behind MLS NEXT Pro, but our sport as a whole as fan growth and commercial momentum continue to accelerate with the goal of continuing to deliver best-in-class experiences for fans in the places we play our matches. Learn More: https://lnkd.in/ev3kGeuJ

Major League Soccer has 18 of the 50 most valuable soccer clubs in the world, according to Sportico's annual ranking, more than any other league globally. Additionally, five MLS clubs rank among the world’s top 20, led by Inter Miami CF at a $1.45 billion valuation.   Over the past decade, MLS has seen strong momentum across club valuations, ownership demand, and fan engagement. New soccer-specific stadiums opening between 2026 and 2028 further reinforce that trajectory.   Looking ahead to 2027, MLS is evolving its competition structure and calendar to unlock the league’s next phase of growth.   Read more: https://lnkd.in/emctnHRu