Impact of the 2026 World Cup on MLS: Post-Messi expectations

The legacy of the World Cup is that new stadiums are built for each tournament, and thereafter they are often rarely used or left as ruins. However, there is an expectation that large events such as the World Cup and the Olympics should leave a lasting impact on the host city. The 2026 World Cup will be held amid high costs of living, political divisions and unprecedented financial barriers, making the long-term impact of the tournament uncertain. The last World Cup held in North America in 1994 led to the launch of Major League Soccer, as FIFA required the need for an actual top-tier league to host the tournament. Now, 31 years later, MLS has established itself as one of the top 10 leagues in the world. It has 30 teams, and World Cup winners such as Argentine legend Lionel Messi are active. In many ways, this can be considered a huge success. Could the 2026 World Cup provide a similar legacy of growth for America's top league? “The next decade will redefine what is possible for MLS and North American soccer,” MLS Commissioner Don Garber said in a state of the league report. “With the world’s eyes on North America, the 2026 World Cup will be rocket fuel for our entire ecosystem.” However, while Garber presented an interesting prospect, he did not provide a detailed explanation of the possibility. Is MLS truly positioned to benefit from the World Cup? Or is the popularity of the World Cup concentrated only in the United States and affecting the popularity of European soccer, and is MLS in danger of being left behind? Ahead of the 2026 season, MLS introduced the MLS Season Pass through an agreement with Apple TV. In the first domestic World Cup season, MLS leadership made significant changes to the Apple TV broadcast deal signed for 2022. MLS, which had kept most of its live games hidden behind an additional fee called the "MLS Season Pass," now offers every game in the league to all Apple TV subscribers. Figures for the MLS Season Pass are undisclosed, but Apple TV has more than 45 million subscribers worldwide, making every MLS match available on the same platform as Formula 1. In May, MLS boasted that its new structure was working, saying the league averaged 7.9 million live viewers across streaming and linear platforms in the first three months of the 2026 season, up 62% from the previous year. In particular, the average viewer age was 39.6 years old, the youngest among major men's sports leagues in North America. This summer, many fans will have the opportunity to see more than 100 MLS players represent their country at the World Cup, and it is a realistic possibility that an MLS player will win the trophy. The recent increased accessibility to MLS could attract fans to the league, but it won't be easy. Streaming still remains a drag for many, and the public discussion is dominated by what airs on the major networks: ESPN, FOX Sports, and TNT. FOX broadcasts some games, but MLS is often secondary, and the primary ESPN channel does not feature the league. CBS covers the U.S. Open Cup, USL and domestic soccer through the CBS Sports Golazo Network, but does not have MLS rights. Despite the year-over-year improvements, MLS needs to take some form of benefit from this World Cup. This is because it is a rare opportunity for this competition to be held in the country. There are only eight USMNT players active in MLS, but most have developed through the league's development pathway. There are currently nine MLS players active in Canada, where soccer, and especially MLS, has less public interest than ice hockey and the major American leagues. For MLS to have a true World Cup effect, the USMNT and Canada need to have a deep game. Nothing attracts more attention than a co-host country taking over the sporting spotlight. Unlike Mexico, where soccer is the center of sports culture, soccer in the United States and Canada still feels like an outsider. Despite recent growth and development, it still remains a niche interest. As soccer essentially grows, MLS can grow along with it. The league is in a good position with Inter Miami mentioned every time Lionel Messi and Rodrigo De Paul touch the ball, with four major rivalry matches scheduled between the World Cup semi-finals and final. However, in a recent interview with Sports Business Journal, Garber expressed a positive outlook for the future, but was cautious in expressing expectations about what the World Cup effect would bring. “The World Cup gives us an opportunity to unite and create a real moment in the midst of everything happening in our country,” he said. “But MLS has grown even without the World Cup and will continue to grow after the World Cup. We will focus on developing players, investing in facilities, growing our fan base and ensuring our teams are embedded in their local communities." Despite the hard work done by MLS and the uncontrollable factors that influence the success of the USMNT and Canada, it is difficult to measure what the World Cup effect will be. Be it increased viewership, highlight show appearances or an increase in casual conversation. Much of the conversation is currently turning to Messi and his outstanding career at Inter Miami, where he won back-to-back MLS MVP awards and led the team to an MLS Cup, a League Cup and more. But he turns 39 before returning from the World Cup and the challenge facing MLS is ensuring the World Cup serves as a bridge for the post-Messi era. This will be facilitated by the transition to a traditional winter-based schedule following the Games. Currently, MLS already has momentum. The question is whether the 2026 World Cup can translate that momentum into continued popularity and create a legacy for the domestic game after the World Cup. --- ## Related Articles 1. [🤯 Series D போட்டியில் சர்வதேச வரலாற்றில் மிகப்பெரிய தோல்வி](https://verrikalam.com/ta/news/serie-d) 2. [ماكينس مناسب لإعادة بناء رينجرز - مكفرسون](https://safirasports.com/ar/news/--46)

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