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MLS is Back!
Season 29 kicked off this week with our first stand-alone game in nearly 10 years when Inter Miami hosted Real Salt Lake. With 14 matches this weekend, I wanted to take a moment to thank you for your support of Major League Soccer and our 30 clubs.
Last year was transformational for our League as St. Louis CITY SC joined MLS as our 29th team, we launched our global media partnership with Apple, introduced the unprecedented Leagues Cup, and Lionel Messi told the world that MLS was his "League of Choice." We have created tremendous momentum that will continue to build this season, and none of this is possible without you.
Today we kick off in Columbus where the Crew became the third club in league history to win at least three MLS Cups, led by head coach Wilfried Nancy, captain Darlington Nagbe, and a group of talented players, many of whom were developed in MLS NEXT Pro. We're looking forward to returning to Columbus this summer for the 2024 MLS All-Star Game.
This season promises to be equally exciting, with rosters that feature seasoned veterans and emerging talent. Messi returns for his first complete season with his former FC Barcelona teammate Luis Suárez joining Miami. World Cup-winning goalkeeper Hugo Lloris joined LAFC, and Swedish national team standout Emil Forsberg signed with the Red Bulls. One of the many great stories to watch are the young players that continue to join MLS this offseason, including top players from South America such as the Galaxy's Gabriel Pec, Inter Miami's Federico Redondo and NYCFC's Agustin Ojeda.
We are in the midst of an exciting era of player development, as players from MLS academies are making an impact with their clubs, starting for national teams, and attracting interest around the world. Young domestic players developed in the MLS ecosystem such as Jesús Ferreira of FC Dallas, Aidan Morris of the Columbus Crew, Caleb Wiley of Atlanta United, Diego Luna of Real Salt Lake and Mathieu Choinière of CF Montreal have emerged as important players from their clubs and future national team stars. In addition, 87 players developed in MLS NEXT Pro have signed first team contracts with MLS clubs, with many more to come. MLS now has a seamless player-development pathway to first teams with MLS, MLS NEXT Pro, and MLS Go.
This summer, Leagues Cup returns and will feature an enhanced format with all 47 clubs ranked in a tiered system battling for spots in the Concacaf Champions Cup, and ultimately a chance to compete in the Club World Cup.
We were thrilled with the first season of our groundbreaking partnership with Apple, and we are excited about the new enhancements coming to MLS Season Pass this year, including MLS 360 in Spanish, MLS Season Pass on Apple Vision Pro, and more interactive features, such as enhanced shareability and SharePlay. You can also access local matchday guides on Apple Maps and listen to your Club's curated playlist on Apple Music.
As we begin our season, I could not be more excited about where we are going as a league and the future of soccer in North America. In many ways, the eyes of the world are on MLS. We deeply appreciate your support for your club and the beautiful game.
Enjoy the season!
Don Garber
Commissioner
Major League Soccer
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