MLS creates generational opportunities for brand partners to influence the future of soccer in North America

The North American soccer world is preparing to host the planet’s biggest sporting event, the 2026 FIFA World Cup. Anticipating a surge in fan interest in soccer as North America will serve as the epicenter of the beautiful game for the next two years, Major League Soccer (MLS) has spent the last decade building an infrastructure so that the league—and its brand partners—are ready to capitalize on that excitement and build the next generation of soccer fandom. “MLS was launched in 1996, coming out of the last World Cup hosted in the U.S. in 1994,” said Charles Altchek, MLS executive VP. “That was a seminal moment for the sport, and we are expecting even more excitement this time around. There will be more kids, athletes, parents and sports fans engaged in the World Cup—and they’re going to be looking for ways to get involved in the sport more deeply. We want to provide opportunities for them at all levels.” Since that critical moment, MLS has expanded its infrastructure, committing record investment in growing and elevating the sport throughout North America. Following a multi-billion-dollar investment in facilities and resources (including coaches), players developed in MLS academies are not only making an impact for MLS first teams, but are also starting for the U.S. and Canadian men’s national teams and attracting unprecedented interest from clubs around the world.¹ In addition, the league has also unlocked opportunities for brand partners to reach soccer fans and families with the development and launch of an unprecedented pathway—from a kid’s first kick all the way to the professional ranks. The player development pathway MLS has created is unlike any other offered by domestic sports leagues. The pathway starts as young as age four with MLS GO, its recently launched recreational youth soccer platform, extends to the top-tier elite youth soccer program MLS NEXT, and reaches MLS NEXT Pro, the professional development league feeding directly into MLS clubs in the U.S. and Canada. “To grow the game of soccer, you have to create opportunities to develop young talent,” said Dan Keats, director of consumer marketing and sponsorship at Allstate. “Our passion for the sport is rooted in programs like MLS NEXT, which focuses on strengthening the talent pipeline and fostering growth for players both on and off the pitch.” Launched in 2020, MLS NEXT now has more than 150 clubs and 16,000 players ages 12 to 19 across the U.S. and Canada. The program offers “a world-class player development experience for youth soccer players looking to reach their highest potential—whether that’s at the professional level, college, or both,” Altchek added. MLS NEXT Pro, which kicked off in 2022, now has 27 MLS-affiliated teams across the U.S. and Canada, as well as two independent clubs in High Point, NC, and Chattanooga, TN, with more independent teams expected to join in the years ahead. “It’s our league of opportunity, where the best young players from the U.S., Canada and around the world are able to prove they’re ready for the highest level— it’s MLS’ version of the NBA’s G League or Triple-A baseball,” said Altchek, who also serves as MLS NEXT Pro’s president. “It has been tremendously productive. We’re entering the playoffs of our third season and in that short amount of time we’ve had more than 120 players from MLS NEXT Pro who’ve signed first team contracts with our MLS teams or been transferred to teams around the world, including in Europe and Mexico. These young talents are taking full advantage of the platform and creating value through their play on the field and through fan engagement off of it.” MLS NEXT Pro is also “our platform for innovation,” he added. “When we have new ideas, new rules, new technologies that we believe can push the game forward, we have the ability to test them in MLS NEXT Pro before potentially implementing in MLS.” MLS’ development efforts already are paying dividends; 17 of the 18 members of the 2024 U.S. men’s Olympic Soccer team spent time in the MLS system, as has the Philadelphia Union’s new sensation, Cavan Sullivan.² In July, Sullivan became the youngest player to debut for a North American major league sports team, making his first MLS appearance at 14 years and 293 days old.³ The final piece of the puzzle is MLS GO, which launched in May 2023 and provides recreational soccer leagues for the youngest of players, both boys and girls —ranging from 4 to 14 years old. Altchek points out that youth soccer participation took off in the U.S. following the 1994 World Cup, and, again, the league aims to be ready to provide an outlet for another surge in 2026. According to research firm Navigate, more than 65 percent of Gen Z Americans are expected to engage with the 2026 FIFA World Cup.⁴ “MLS GO is about creating a place where kids develop a love for the game no matter their background. Our belief is that if we can get them playing the game, that will help turn them into lifelong soccer fans,” Altchek said. “Our goal is to increase access while introducing families and players to the MLS brand. We know from our research in this space that these important fan connections are made at a young age, and what better way to do it then through reducing barriers to participation.” More than 40 percent of MLS GO’s 50,000-plus participants are outside the current 30 MLS club markets, and the MLS GO Play Fund, an annual fund allocated to MLS GO league operators and individual players to offset seasonal costs, was launched in April 2024 to provide additional resources to increase and maintain youth participation in recreational soccer.⁵ Key long-time MLS partners like Allstate and Adidas are leveraging the league’s expanded infrastructure to reach soccer fans in new ways at all levels. For instance, Allstate serves as the presenting partner for MLS NEXT’s pinnacle event, the MLS NEXT All-Star Game, as well as invitational Talent ID events around the country that offer young players an opportunity to showcase their talent for MLS NEXT coaches and scouts. “Allstate’s dedication to making soccer accessible, especially for kids in underserved areas, hits home for me. They are a leader in this space and walk the walk,” said Taylor Twellman, former MLS MVP, lead MLS Season Pass analyst and honorary head coach of the MLS NEXT All-Star Game presented by Allstate. “Together, we’re paving the way for the next generation of talent, ensuring everyone gets a chance to shine on the big stage.” In addition, Adidas, the official supplier of MLS, is helping grow the sport in North America alongside MLS by bolstering key development efforts across MLS NEXT Pro and MLS NEXT. Adidas serves as the presenting partner of Generation Adidas Cup—the most elite global and competitive youth soccer tournament that features MLS NEXT clubs and renowned club academies from around the world, as well as the official supplier of clubs across MLS NEXT Pro and youth academies. Empowering, supporting, and inspiring the next generation of fans and players, Adidas also recognizes the best in North American soccer across key end-of-season awards for MLS NEXT and MLS NEXT Pro. “‘Only the best for the athlete,’ is a brand standard Adidas lives by. We often refer to that quote when we’re talking about product and innovation, but it applies to our partners, too,” said Zola Short, senior director of sports marketing for Adidas North America. “What MLS has created in their MLS player pathway is truly best in class for North America. There isn’t another player development model in North American sports that is laid out as clearly or strategically as what MLS has built. And with all the momentum the sport of soccer is generating in the run-up to World Cup 2026, we couldn’t be more excited to partner with them on its continued evolution, setting the sport up for accelerated growth in 2026 and beyond.” Across the youth and development properties launched by MLS, brands have the opportunity to impact future generations of fans, unlock a national marketing platform and authentically connect with today’s youth, and tangibly support the advancement of the sport. Not to mention, opportunities exist to capitalize on a sequence of global soccer moments that will bring enviable growth opportunities to an already growing MLS ecosystem and booming popularity of soccer in North America. MLS GO is fielding opportunities for brand partners to become the presenting partner of the property, a platform that will allow a brand to become synonymous with a national recreational soccer program that is primed to be a foundational platform for the advancement of soccer engagement and fandom. Additionally, MLS NEXT Pro has open partnership opportunities for an entitlement partner of the professional development league, offering a full breadth of benefits and allowing a brand partner to become synonymous with a league that is advancing the sport and growing the game in new markets. “MLS and its properties are about providing more opportunity - for players to reach their full potential, kids to get involved, individuals to work in the sport, to impact our communities - all for the love of the beautiful game,” Altchek said. Sources 1, 2, 3 & 5. MLS Communications, 2024 4. Navigate, 2024 About Major League Soccer Headquartered in New York City, Major League Soccer—celebrating its 29th season in 2024—features 30 clubs throughout the United States and Canada, including a new expansion team in San Diego that will debut in 2025. All MLS, Leagues Cup, and select MLS NEXT Pro and MLS NEXT matches can be watched through MLS Season Pass, available on the Apple TV app on Apple devices, smart TVs, streaming devices, set-top boxes, game consoles, and the web at tv.apple.com. MLS Season Pass features the most expansive and accessible lineup of programming ever for MLS fans. For more information about MLS, visit mlssoccer.com. For more information about the Apple TV app, visit apple.com/apple-tv-app.

MLS creates generational opportunities for brand partners to influence the future of soccer in North America

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