When FIFA selected the United States to host the 1994 World Cup, it imposed a clear condition: the country must launch a professional soccer league that could sustain the sport beyond the tournament’s spotlight.
The Birth of a League
The promise materialized in 1996 with the inception of Major League Soccer, which began with ten franchises scattered across the nation. The early years were marked by financial turbulence, with the league losing roughly $250 million over its first six seasons as it struggled to find a foothold.
Despite those setbacks, the 1994 World Cup delivered record‑breaking crowds, drawing 3,587,538 spectators and proving that American fans could fill stadiums on a massive scale.
A Turning Point
A turning point arrived in 2007 when David Beckham signed with LA Galaxy, raising the league’s global profile and attracting new investors. A decade later, Lionel Messi’s move to Inter Miami further cemented MLS’s ascent, signaling that the competition could compete for the world’s biggest talents.
Today MLS operates 30 franchises spanning 25 U.S. cities and three Canadian markets, and it is preparing to host the 2026 World Cup alongside Canada and Mexico. Organizers anticipate attendance between five and six million, poised to eclipse the 1994 record.