Major League Soccer celebrates its 30th anniversary with a massive 30-club expansion
In short: The 2025 Major League Soccer season marks a significant milestone for the league. As it enters its 30th year, the competition has expanded to 30 clubs, featuring a complex schedule that balances domestic conference play with global tournaments like the FIFA Club World Cup.
Marking its 30th year, the 2025 Major League Soccer season also serves as the 47th year for a top-tier national league in the US. To accommodate growth, the league expanded to 30 clubs, including the addition of San Diego FC, which was awarded in 2023. The league is structured into two conferences—Eastern and Western—each containing 15 teams. The regular season, which runs from February 22 to October 18, consists of 34 matches for every team, primarily focused on intra-conference competition.
The season's rhythm is heavily influenced by international commitments. A mid-season break occurs from June 15 to June 24 to accommodate the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup and the 2025 CONCACAF Gold Cup. Notably, the league does not pause for the month-long Leagues Cup held between July 29 and August 31. Competing in the FIFA Club World Cup are MLS teams such as Los Angeles FC, Inter Miami CF, and Seattle Sounders FC.
Broadcasting has become a cornerstone of the league's business model through a ten-year partnership with Apple Inc. For the third consecutive year, all matches are available via MLS Season Pass. This season also saw the introduction of 'Sunday Night Soccer,' a primetime weekly game available to Apple TV+ subscribers. Additionally, the league has seen a shift in local distribution, with several teams signing agreements with over-the-air stations to rebroadcast matches after 48 hours, a practice not seen since 2022.
On the pitch, the 2025 postseason concludes with the MLS Cup on December 6. Postseason play employs diverse structures, beginning with a one-off game for bottom-seeded wild card sides before moving to a best-of-three series. The 2025 season also sees Inter Miami CF and the LA Galaxy entering as high-profile contenders, following their success in the 2024 season.
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Sources
- Summary by Intellect · source: 2025 Major League Soccer season
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