MLS Executives Weigh In on World Cup Impact and League's Future

Major League Soccer is approaching a pivotal moment in its history, with the 2026 World Cup long billed as "rocket fuel" for soccer growth in North America. According to an anonymous survey of 22 MLS team executives conducted by The Athletic, there's cautious optimism about the tournament's benefits but significant concerns about the league's preparedness to capitalize on this once-in-a-generation opportunity.

The World Cup's Potential Impact

With 78 of the tournament's 104 games played on U.S. soil and another 13 in Canada, executives are bullish on the World Cup's ability to generate interest among casual fans and first-time spectators. "The trickle-down effect will happen for years," claimed one executive.

However, the key demographic for MLS executives are the participating players themselves. "The biggest benefit? It serves as a recruiting trip for all the best players in the world," said one chief soccer officer (CSO). Another executive added: "I just hope that there's this desire, 'I want to come to this league.' And sometimes it just takes a few key players to say it and then everyone says, 'Oh it's OK to say it. Now I want to come to MLS, too.'"

Missed Opportunities and Timing Concerns

A significant concern among executives is MLS's decision to push back major infrastructure changes until 2027, potentially missing the World Cup momentum. "I think it's too late, right?" one exec said. "They should have changed the calendar (for '26) and I think this should be a sprint season and we should be going into a new calendar at the end (of the World Cup)."

Another CSO expressed frustration: "Simple answer is they took too long trying to change the rules. We had a once-in-a-lifetime chance to do something enormous coming out of the World Cup. It could have been something that could really cement MLS into the sort of fabric of the world of soccer, and we've missed the opportunity."

Recruitment Strategies and Player Acquisition

The World Cup presents both opportunities and challenges for player recruitment. Some teams are actively targeting players they expect to perform well, while others are more cautious. "We've actively identified targets that we think are going to be at the World Cup," one executive said. "We're a club that's going to be looking to make a big signing in the summer."

Others expressed concerns about price inflation: "By the way, if an 18-year-old has a good World Cup, he's gonna get out of our price range," cautioned a CSO.

Calendar Change and League Transformation

The move to align with European leagues starting in July 2027 is seen as a transformative decision. "I really do believe it's an absolutely enormous, positive, game-changing type decision," one CSO said. Executives believe this will increase credibility and make transfer dealings more efficient.

However, weather concerns were acknowledged: "The weather is going to be a real issue, and you're going to have a lot of unwatchable games. I think in the long run, it still is the right decision."

Salary Cap and League Structure Reforms

Executives expressed near-unanimous desire for more roster flexibility. "As a broad blanket statement, it would be giving more flexibility for teams to decide their own path," one CSO explained. They advocated for maintaining the Designated Player rule while allowing more investment across entire rosters.

The debate around super teams revealed divided opinions. Some executives pointed to Inter Miami's success as evidence that super teams can drive interest: "I would like us to stop trying to be the only super popular league in the world that does not have some version of super teams." Others cautioned that stratification could be detrimental to competitive balance.

Leadership Transition and Media Strategy

With Commissioner Don Garber's contract running through 2027, executives emphasized the need for visionary leadership. "The next person who succeeds Don has to be a visionary to not just to maintain where we are, but take us where we want to go," one executive said.

The Apple TV partnership received mixed reviews. While some praised the forward-thinking nature of the deal, others criticized scheduling and content quality. "Clearly something is not working with Apple," said one CSO, while another added: "Our games should be at 12 p.m., 2 p.m. and 4 p.m., so that when the European games finish and people go home they can watch MLS."

Looking Ahead

Despite the challenges, there's optimism about MLS's direction. "We should be going north; we're going like northeast. But generally, we are headed in the right direction," one CSO said. The consensus suggests that while MLS faces significant challenges in capitalizing on the World Cup opportunity, the league is poised for transformative change in the coming years.