MLS

Born from the United States' successful bid to host the 1994 FIFA World Cup, Major League Soccer was founded in 1993 as a successor to the North American Soccer League. The inaugural season in 1996 began with ten clubs, and the league endured a difficult first decade that included significant financial losses and the folding of two teams in 2002. Those early years set the stage for structural and cultural shifts that reshaped the competition.

Today the league comprises 30 teams across the United States and Canada and operates as a single entity headquartered in New York City. A regular season that typically runs from late February through mid-October leads to the Supporters' Shield for the best record and an expanded postseason that culminates in the MLS Cup. Investments in soccer-specific stadiums, national television contracts and roster mechanisms such as the Designated Player Rule have helped MLS move into profitability and attract substantial crowds, ranking third in average attendance among major North American sports leagues in 2024.

Several figures and clubs have left a lasting imprint: the Designated Player signings of David Beckham and Lionel Messi reshaped global attention, LA Galaxy have captured the most MLS Cups, D.C. United share the most Supporters' Shields, and Chris Wondolowski stands as the league's all-time leading scorer.