GOLALARM

Major League Soccer

USA · Domestic league

First season
1996
Clubs
30
Format
Two conferences + playoffs
Promotion/relegation
None
Record MLS Cup winners
LA Galaxy

Major League Soccer is the top division in the United States and Canada. It kicked off in 1996 with ten clubs and has grown to 30 franchises split into Eastern and Western Conferences. Unlike European leagues there is no promotion or relegation: the regular season runs from February to October, and the best-placed clubs go into the MLS Cup Playoffs, which crown the champion in late autumn.

The Supporters’ Shield goes to the team with the best regular-season record, while the MLS Cup is decided through the playoffs; the LA Galaxy have won the Cup more than anyone. The league’s international profile grew with David Beckham in 2007 and again with Lionel Messi’s move to Inter Miami in 2023, and the 2026 World Cup, hosted across the United States, Canada and Mexico, brought many of its stadiums to a global audience.

MLS clubs also compete in the Leagues Cup against Liga MX sides and in the CONCACAF Champions Cup. Golalarm covers every MLS match with live scores, lineups and statistics, and the standings show both conferences.

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