Major League Soccer has set its eyes on world domination.
The 2026 World Cup was a massive commercial hit, even if Mauricio Pochettino’s USMNT suffered a humiliating defeat against Belgium.
Lionel Messi getting a second trophy would have been the icing on the cake, but the tournament gripped the U.S. market for over a month.
Now, it is time to make sure the impact sticks around — just like the 1994 edition which gave birth to MLS.
Outgoing Commissioner Don Garber thinks U.S. soccer can surpass European and South American leagues one day.
“We proved that we are a soccer nation over the last month,” he told Front Office Sports ahead of the World Cup final. “We proved that we can build the most valuable commercial market in the world [for soccer].”
Inter Miami, Los Angeles FC, LA Galaxy, Atlanta United and New York City FC boast valuations of over $1 billion per Forbes.
That compares to some mid-table English Premier League teams, although falls some way short of $7.2 billion giant Manchester United.
The EPL’s TV and central commercial rights are worth almost $4.7 billion annually — well ahead of any rival.
MLS is confident of closing the gap, however, with a post-World Cup surge in ticket sales.
Messi’s arrival in 2023 was a massive boost, but the 39-year-old probably won’t be around when TV rights next come up for auction.
Apple TV currently pays around $250 million annually in a deal which runs until 2029.
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ESPN claims that MLS bosses hope to agree a package worth $400-500 million next time, which would be around the same as the current U.S. EPL rights agreement.
MLS ownership is close to appointing Garber’s replacement with LAFC co-managing owner Larry Berg and former Fox Sports executive David Nathanson the final candidates.
They are expected to make final presentations to owners in days before the decision is made.
Don Garber won’t rule out MLS promotion and relegation
Garber has served since 1999, with Doug Logan the only other man to have held the position since the league was founded in 1993.
He leaves the league in a stronger position than he inherited with San Diego paying a $500 million fee to take the number of teams to 30 in 2023 and a purpose-built stadium boom taking place.
Garber thinks another increase could take some time and thinks 32 franchises may be the limit.
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“For a lot of different reasons — schedule makeup and the like — I don’t see us going beyond 32, and I’m not sure 32 is coming anytime soon,” Garber said. “It’s about making what we have bigger, better, stronger and capturing this cultural moment.”
His successor will take over amid debate over whether soccer chiefs should ditch the U.S. sports model and adopt promotion and relegation.
Garber has overseen a transition to a European calendar and admitted that more changes could be on the cards.
“I will say this now that I wouldn’t have said five years ago, I never thought we’d change our calendar and we did,” he said. “I never thought we’d have 30 teams and we do.
“I never thought we’d have 29 stadiums, and we will. I never thought we’d ever talk about promotion, relegation.
“There is a time where if it makes sense for Major League Soccer to be what we want it to be, we need to have promotion/relegation, we’ll do it. If it doesn’t make sense, we won’t.”
