MLS commissioner Don Garber softens on pro/rel: 'Never say never' - ESPN

WASHINGTON — MLS commissioner Don Garber won't rule out adopting relegation and promotion while making clear such a decision is years or decades away.

MLS launched in 1996 with 10 teams and currently has 30 in a closed system. The latest team, San Diego, paid a $500 million expansion fee to start play in 2025.

Garber has been adamant during his lengthy tenure as commissioner that relegation and promotion doesn't work for MLS because of the huge amounts of money owners have spent on stadiums, training complexes and youth academies.

«There's no real point of saying never because I don't know what the future would look like. I certainly never thought we would adapt to the international calendar,» he said Thursday night during a news conference at D.C. United's Audi Stadium in conjunction with the World Cup draw.

«Maybe as the development of the lower divisions continue to grow, as they've been doing so well over the years, there will be a proper ecosystem, I'm not sure. Frankly, I don't believe that ecosystem can exist today, but who knows?'» he added. «I've learned never say never. That doesn't mean we're having promotion relegation any time soon.»

The United Soccer League said this year it plans to start a top-tier league in 2027-28 and a promotion/relegation system. What is now USL's League Championship has been sanctioned as the second-tier division since 2017 and has 24 teams. The third-tier League One started play in 2019. USL League Two is a semipro level that includes 144 teams in 19 regional divisions and four conferences.

Garber, who turned 68 in October, has been commissioner since August 1999 and in 2024 agreed to a contract through the 2027 season.

«MLS has almost been operating as a startup for 30 years, so we