A New Commissioner for a New Era
Larry Berg has been named the next Commissioner of Major League Soccer, slated to take over the league’s top office on January 1, 2027, after more than a decade of planning by the MLS Board of Governors.
The succession was driven by a comprehensive search that involved Korn Ferry, CAA and The Miles Group, with current commissioner Don Garber and a committee led by Jimmy Haslam and Bennett Rosenthal overseeing the process.
Berg, who currently co‑owns Los Angeles FC and serves as co‑chair of the league’s Sporting and Competition Committee, will relinquish his stake in LAFC to avoid any conflict of interest while guiding the 30‑club competition.
His soccer résumé includes building LAFC into a championship franchise, capturing the MLS Cup in 2022 and the Supporters’ Shield in 2019 and 2022, and previously holding ownership stakes in Italy’s AS Roma and Wales’ Swansea City AFC.
Before entering sports ownership, Berg spent three decades in private equity, most recently at Apollo Global Management and earlier at 26North, after earning a Bachelor of Science from the Wharton School and an MBA from Harvard Business School.
Garber, who has led MLS for 27 years, praised Berg’s integrity, judgment and collaborative style, noting a decade‑long professional relationship and confidence in his ability to deepen the league’s connection with supporters.
Under Berg’s forthcoming leadership, MLS plans to roll out a refreshed competition calendar for the 2027‑28 season, continue expanding its stadium portfolio and explore new media‑rights agreements as the sport prepares for the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
The transition also brings a roster of seasoned executives to the board, including representatives from Sporting Kansas City, Nashville SC, New England Revolution, Chicago Fire FC and Red Bull New York, all of whom served on the succession committee.
Berg’s appointment marks a pivotal moment for MLS as it seeks to cement its global standing, leverage the upcoming World Cup excitement, and chart a sustainable growth path for the next generation of clubs.