Major League Soccer
Major League Soccer (MLS) is an American soccer league that started in 1996. As of the current 2023 season, 29 teams play in the league. One other team plans to join in 2025. The commissioner of the league (the person in charge) is Don Garber.
| Major League Soccer | ||
| MLS crest logo RGB gradient.svg | ||
| Country | United States and Canada | |
| Confederation | CONCACAF | |
| Founded | 1996 | |
| Level | 1 | |
| Number of teams | 29 | |
| Relegation to | None | |
| Domestic cup | U.S. Open Cup Canadian Championship | |
| Current champions | Supporters Shield: Los Angeles FC MLS Cup: Los Angeles FC (2022) | |
| Most successful club | Cups: LA Galaxy (5) Shields: D.C. United, LA Galaxy (4 each) | |
| Website | Official Site | |
MLS, founded in the United States, is a fully professional league with 28 teams, three of which are based in Canada. The United States Soccer Federation (USSF or U.S. Soccer), which runs soccer in that country, considers MLS to be the country's top men's league. The Canadian Soccer Association (CSA), which runs soccer in Canada, considers the Canadian Premier League as its top men's league, but MLS has much greater Canadian media coverage and is seen as having a higher level of play. Referees are approved by U.S. Soccer and the CSA. In turn, both national governing bodies are members of FIFA, which governs all play between national teams and sets the rules for the sport along with the national governing bodies of England, Northern Ireland, Scotland, and Wales.
MLS was formed in 1993 as a professional league, with play starting with 10 teams in 1996. The MLS regular season starts in late February and ends in November, with each team playing 34 games. The regular season is followed by a 14-team playoff tournament to decide the league champion.
Teams
Current
Former teams
| Team | City | Last Stadium | Founded | Joined | Left MLS | Dissolved | Conference |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tampa Bay Mutiny | Tampa, Florida | Raymond James Stadium | 1994 | 1996 | 2001 | 2002 | Central Conference |
| Miami Fusion | Fort Lauderdale, Florida | Lockhart Stadium | 1997 | 1998 | 2001 | 2002 | Eastern Conference |
| Chivas USA | Carson, California | StubHub Center | 2004 | 2005 | 2014 | 2014 | Western Conference |
Future teams
| Team | City | Stadium | Founded | Planned to join | Manager | Notes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| San Diego | San Diego, California | Snapdragon Stadium | 2023 | 2025 | TBC |
MLS Cup Winners
Major League Soccer Media
D.C. United trophy case (2007): four MLS Cup, CONCACAF Champions League, Interamerican Cup, MLS Supporters' Shield, and U.S. Open Cup.
Built in 1999, Historic Crew Stadium (the home of the Columbus Crew until 2021) was the first soccer-specific stadium in MLS.
The 2010 season also brought the opening of the New York Red Bulls' soccer-specific stadium, Red Bull Arena.
Seattle Sounders FC (2009)
Los Angeles Galaxy (2011)
FC Cincinnati's inaugural MLS home match drew a 32,250 sellout crowd.
David Beckham was the league's first Designated Player in 2007.
The Columbus Crew's first stadium was MLS' first soccer-specific stadium
Lumen Field, home of Seattle Sounders FC
Montreal Impact hosting D.C. United (August 2012).
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Related pages
References
- Best Players in Major league Soccer (MLS) in 2012. hub, n.d. Web. 18 Dec. 2012.
- Major League Soccer. Archived 2017-05-24 at the Wayback Machine Princeton, n.d. Web. 18 Dec. 2012.
- An Overview of American Soccer History. Archived 2016-03-05 at the Wayback Machine Dave Litterer, n.d. Web. 18 Dec. 2012.
- Soccer Politics / The Politics of Football. Duke University, n.d. Web. 18 Dec. 2012.
