MLS aims to turn 2026 World Cup attention into lasting gains

LOS ANGELES, June 8 : Major League Soccer Commissioner Don Garber says the league is treating the 2026 FIFA World Cup not as a six-week showcase but as the launchpad for a new era, aiming to convert global attention on North American soccer into lasting growth in fans, relevance and stature. 

Garber said MLS began planning for the tournament after hosting rights were awarded in 2018, using the event as fuel to expand, improve infrastructure and strengthen the league's global profile.

"We sat back and said, this will be that North Star," Garber told Reuters in an interview. 

"What do we need to do to be a different league by the time the World Cup is on our shores?"

Since then, MLS has added seven teams and nine soccer-specific stadiums, changed roster rules to encourage investment in young players, increased attendance by 35 per cent and launched a global media partnership with Apple. 

Club valuations had also tripled since 2018 and were now collectively valued at approximately $23 billion, MLS said. 

LASTING GAINS

Garber said MLS did not want the World Cup to be a short-lived spectacle that faded once the tournament ended.

"We don't want the tournament to be like a Taylor Swift concert where there's enormous energy and then it's a period of time until she comes back on tour," he said. "We want this to be more like the front porch to a new house."

He said MLS expected a post-World Cup boost in attendance, as domestic leagues in host countries have historically benefited from the event. But he added that the league would measure success more broadly through popularity, relevance, awareness, player recognition and fan engagement.

"What we're really going to measure is, through research, are we more popular? Are we more relevant? Do