As a condition to host the 1994 World Cup, FIFA demanded the USA have a competitive soccer league. As a result, the MLS was born in 1996 with only 10 teams. Since then, the league has expanded to 23 teams, divided in the Eastern and Western conferences.
The MLS’ regular season runs from March to October, with the top 12 teams making it to the playoffs. The winner of the post-season is awarded the MLS Cup and earns the right to play in the CONCACAF Champions League.
LA Galaxy, one of the league’s original teams, is still the club with the most MLS Cups with five titles to their name. D.C. United follows suit with four trophies, but they have failed to triumph again since they last won it in 2004.
Toronto FC is the current holder of the MLS title. They topped up their feat by winning the 2017 Canadian Championship and the Supporters' Shield to complete the treble – the first-ever in the history of the Major League Soccer.
The 2018 MLS season will see the introduction of a new franchise – Los Angeles Football Club (LAFC). The MLS has plans to expand to 24 teams by 2020. The recent arrival of Los Angeles FC took the number of participating teams to 23, with the newly awarded expansion team, Miami FC, being scheduled to join the MLS in 2020.
Did you know?
On Dec 9, 2017, the MLS Cup final between Toronto FC and Seattle Sounders had one of the largest MLS viewership rates in its history with approximately 2.1M viewers. In Canada, an average of 1.3 million viewers watched TSN's MLS Cup broadcast. In the USA, an average of 803,000 viewers tuned in on ESPN and 304,000 viewers on UniMás and Univision Deportes.
Where to watch the 2018 MLS regular season on Television in the USA
English Language Broadcasts:
FOX Sports and ESPN acquired the English Language MLS broadcast rights in the US until the 2022 season. The broadcast rights are split between the networks. ESPN Network (with games on ESPN and ESPN 2) and FOX Network with games on FOX and Fox Sports 1 (FS1). The two dominant networks alternate broadcasting the MLS All-Star Game yearly and both networks share broadcast of the games for the MLS Cup playoffs. Here is the breakdown of how you can watch Major League Soccer on ESPN and FOX:
MLS on ESPN & ESPN2
ESPN networks will televise 31 regular-season MLS matches in 2018, as well as the MLS All-Star Game in Atlanta on August 1. ESPN will show 28 live regular-season matches and ESPN2 will broadcast 3 regular-season games. ESPN will also televise the 2018 MLS All-Star Game on August 1 being played at the Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta. All matches aired on ESPN and ESPN2 will also be streamed live on the ESPN App.
MLS on FOX and FS1
Fox Sports will broadcast a total of 33 games which are primarily on Sundays. Of the 33, FOX Network will air seven regular-season MLS games and the rest on FS1. All matches will be simulcast in Spanish on FOX Deportes. Users can also access all the matches on the digital FOX Sports GO platform.
MLS Direct Kick
In addition to the nationally televised packages, you can watch out-of-market matches on your television via the MLS Direct Kick subscription package, available on DirecTV, Dish Network and most tv providers.
MLS LIVE
MLS LIVE service is ideal for Cord Cutters. With MLS LIVE you can watch out-of-market matches with the subscription-based service available online and on Android devices, iPhone, iPad, iPod touch, Roku, Apple TV, and using Google's Chromecast Media Player.
Watching MLS on TV in Spanish in USA
Coverage of MLS in Spanish in the USA is spread across the Univision family of networks (Univision, UniMás, Univision Deportes) along with ESPN Deportes and Fox Deportes
ESPN Deportes
ESPN Deportes wil air 31 live regular-season matches this season. It will also provide Spanish language commentary for every MLS match on ESPN or ESPN2 (including the playoffs). Matches aired on ESPN Deportes will also be available on the ESPN Deportes+ digital platform.
FOX Deportes
Spanish language broadcasts of the 33 MLS matches on FOX English cannels (including the playoffs) will be available with Spanish commentary on Fox Deportes, and also online via the FOX Sports GO Platform.
MLS on Univision Deportes and UniMas
Univision Deportes will air 14 MLS matches in Spanish on Saturday afternoons. UniMás will broadcast an additional 11 games. UDN will simulcast all 25 regular-season matches as well as the 2018 MLS All-Star Games. UniMás will air the 11 matches on Friday nights. Univision will broadcast the MLS All-Star game in Spanish and select MLS Cup playoff matches.
ESPN Deportes Radio:
ESPN Deportes Radio, will offer Spanish-language coverage throughout the MLS season.
MLS REGIONAL CHANNELS BY TEAM:
MLS Regional Television
Each MLS franchise has a local television deal for local and regional broadcasts. Below is a list of which regional network each club is available on:
- Atlanta United FC: Fox Sports South, FOX Sports Southeast, WUPA
- Chicago Fire: NBC Sports Chicago, WGN-TV
- Colorado Rapids: Altitude
- Columbus Crew: Spectrum Sports Ohio, BCSN, WWHO, WSYX, WTTE
- DC United: WJLA-TV, NewsChannel 8
- FC Dallas: KTXA
- Houston Dynamo: KUBE-TV
- Los Angeles FC: YouTube TV
- LA Galaxy: Spectrum SportsNet
- Minnesota United FC: Fox Sports North
- Montreal Impact: TSN, TVA Sports
- New England Revolution: NBC Sports Boston
- New York City FC: YES Network, WPIX
- New York Red Bulls: MSG Network
- Orlando City SC: WRDQ
- Philadelphia Union: WPHL-TV, WPVI-TV, Live Well Network
- Portland Timbers: Root Sports Northwest, KPTV, KPDX
- Real Salt Lake: KUTV, KMYU
- San Jose Earthquakes: NBC Sports California, NBC Sports Bay Arena, KNTV
- Seattle Sounders: Root Sports Northwest, KCPQ, KZJO
- Sporting Kansas: Fox Sports Kansas, KMCI-TV
- Toronto FC: TSN, CTV
- Vancouver Whitecaps FC: TSN
Watching MLS Online and on OTT platforms
If you are a cord cutter, you can watch MLS on various platforms:
fuboTV
fuboTV streams many MLS matches through most channels with MLS broadcast rights such as FOX, FS1, FS2, Fox Deportes, Univisión Deportes and UniMás as well as on regional networks.
Sling TV
Sling TV streams many MLS matches through most channels with MLS broadcast rights such as: ESPN, ESPN2, ESPN Deportes, FS1, Univision, Univision Deportes and UniMás.
Fox Soccer Match Pass
FOX’s subscription streaming service, Fox Soccer Match Pass, provides online streaming through most computers and mobile devices of every MLS match available on FOX channels.
Watch ESPN / ESPN App
The streaming service offered by WatchESPN allows access to MLS games on ESPN, ESPN2 and ESPN Deportes (Spanish) for ESPN subscribers whose satellite or cable provider allows access to the service.
MLS on ESPN+
MLS out-of-market matches will be streamed on ESPN+. The new streaming platform which will be available in Spring 2018 will offer sports fans live pro and college sports. The service will be available for $4.99 per month.
Fans will have free access to all MLS out-of-market matches on MLSsoccer.com and on the MLS App. Once ESPN+ beings service, it will be the exclusive home for all MLS out-of-market matches.
Univision Now
Univision offers a subscription service called Univision NOW. The service streams Univision and UniMás with DVR capability.
MLS on the radio
MLS matches are available on the radio through ESPN Radio, ESPN Deportes Radio (Spanish commentary) and the FOX Sports Radio network. Check your local listings to see if there are network affiliates in your area.
MLS Live
Out-of-market MLS games can be watched live on the subscription based MLS Live service. National television matches are available to watch on-demand 48 hours after the match.
Fox Sports GO
Watch MLS on Fox Sports GO by authenticating with the service using your active TV or ISP subscription.
Where to watch the 2018 MLS regular season on Television in the Canada, UK, and Australia
Watch MLS 2018 Regular Season on TV in Canada:
In Canada, you can watch English language broadcasts of MLS on the TSN Network. The coverage includes a Friday night ‘Match of the Week’ featuring at least one Canadian team in every game plus Saturday game coverage. All matches played by Toronto FC and Vancouver Whitecaps FC will be covered. CTV will also offer nine live Saturday afternoon matches featuring Canadian teams. Users can also watch all TSN broadcasts on TSN GO.
Canadian viewers now have a new option to watch MLS. Starting with the 2018 MLS Season, DAZN Canada and Major League Soccer (MLS) have signed a three-year agreement. MLS LIVE will be available on the DAZN platform. With MLS LIVE, fans will get a minimum of 262 streamed regular season games.
MLS 2018 in French Canada
MLS French-language network partner TVA Sports will cover Montreal Impact games. Viewers can watch all TVA broadcasts on the TVA Sports app.
Streaming the 2018 MLS in Canada:
TSN broadcasts will be available on TSN Go.
TVA broadcasts will be available on the TVA Sports app.
MLS 2018 in the United Kingdom:
Watch the 2018 Major League Soccer season on Sky Sports Football and Sky Sports Main Event (TV). Streaming platforms showing the MLS in the UK are Now TV, Sky Go Extra, and Sky Go UK.
MLS 2018 in Australia:
The broadcast rights for te MLS in Australia are shared between ESPN and beIN Sports.
beIN Sports carry the broadcast rights for the MLS in Australia. Stream matches on beIN Sports Connect or tune into live telecasts on beIN Sports 1, beIN Sports 2, or beIN Sports 3 throughout the season. Internet TV service, Foxtel Now, provides coverage as well.
For comprehensive global broadcast listings of the MLS, visit our MLS competition page.
