"We proved that we are a soccer nation over the last month." That's outgoing MLS Commissioner Don Garber, and he's not done there — he believes the United States can build "the most valuable commercial market in the world" for football. Bold claim. But not entirely without foundation.
The 2026 World Cup, co-hosted across the United States, Canada and Mexico, delivered everything league officials could have hoped for: packed stadiums, strong TV numbers, and a country that actually cared. The USMNT went out in the round of 16 against Belgium, but that didn't dampen the mood. The sport itself was the story, and MLS wants to ride that wave.
The billion-dollar clubs are already here
Forbes now values Inter Miami, LAFC, LA Galaxy, Atlanta United and New York City FC at over $1 billion each. That still puts them well below the elite of European football, but it puts them level with a solid chunk of Premier League clubs — the ones that aren't Manchester United or Arsenal, anyway.
Messi's arrival at Inter Miami in 2023 accelerated a lot of this. His global pull lifted the league's profile in markets that had barely registered MLS existed. The challenge now is sustaining that interest once he eventually steps away. No commissioner — outgoing or otherwise — has a clean answer to that one.
Media rights are where the real growth signal lies. Apple's current deal is worth around $250 million a year through 2029. League officials are targeting $400–500 million annually in the next cycle, which would bring MLS significantly closer to the Premier League's current US broadcast value. Whether they get there depends on how well the post-World Cup momentum holds.
History rhyming, not repeating
The 1994 World Cup gave MLS its launch two years later. Officials are framing 2026 the same way — as a launchpad rather than a peak. Whether that comparison flatters or misleads the current moment is the real question.
The Premier League has a 30-year head start, a global club culture MLS can't replicate overnight, and broadcast deals that dwarf anything in American soccer. Garber's confidence is understandable given the trajectory, but the gap between "fastest-growing" and "most valuable" is still a long road.
For now, MLS has genuine momentum, billion-dollar franchises, and a World Cup afterglow. The next TV deal, due in 2029, will tell you far more about where this league actually stands than any commissioner's farewell speech.
