Is MLS a Major League in the US? It Depends

Major League Soccer (MLS) is popular in the U.S. but struggles to break through to the mainstream. Cities like New York and LA have many soccer fans. When their soccer teams are major league champions, they don’t get as much attention as winners of the Super Bowl. The national newspapers and news outlets don’t focus that much on them.
News coverage in major cities is lacking, and MLS Cup victories don’t receive much news coverage compared to the detailed coverage and analysis of baseball, football, and hockey. Soccer titles may bring joy to fans, but they aren’t celebrated as much in the news as some other sports in the U.S. Most cities are geared towards the NFL and the NBA rather than soccer.
Pennsylvania is a little different
The situation is a little different in other parts of the U.S. Philadelphia Union, the opponent of LAFC in the MLS Cup Final, has regular coverage in the Inquirer. Pennsylvania sports betting is growing, and bettors can already bet on who they think can go all the way and win the 2024 MLS Cup.
Jim Curtin, head coach of Philadelphia Union, says a lot of hard work has gone into elevating the team in the community and having more talk about it in the media. This includes work by the front office and the players. It is possible for teams to reach out and share exciting stories with media outlets to raise their profiles, but it takes hard work.
U.S. Open Cup
The oldest national soccer title in the U.S. is the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup title. This event does draw media attention but certainly not as much as events like the Super Bowl.
In Orlando, the U.S. Open Cup final of 2022 generated more interest than previous finals. The occasion was unique in that it was being contested by teams from different tiers rather than from different divisions or conferences. The stadium was sold out on this occasion. Generally, high school and college sports overshadow soccer in Orlando.
In 2023, Houston Dynamo defeated hosts Miami to win their second Open Cup title. In 2024, Los Angeles FC won a victory over four-time champions, Sporting KC.
A global sport rather than an American one
Soccer has huge global support, and this can give the feeling that it’s an international support rather than an American one. It’s not like football and basketball, two of the most popular sports in the US.
No two cities in the US are identical, and the same applies to the popularity of soccer. In a city like Austin, the football club receives considerable local coverage and support. Part of the reason for this, according to reporters, is that it is really the only major sports franchise in Austin. The San Antonio Spurs ostensibly represent Austin in the NBA, but most games are in San Antonio which is 80 miles to the south.
World Cup Soccer 2026
There is hope that the 2026 World Cup could take the MLS to the next level. It will be jointly hosted by Canada, Mexico, and the United States. A total of 16 cities in this trio of nations will act as hosts. The location of the final will be the MetLife Stadium in New York, and coverage of the event will be extensive. Hosting World Cup soccer has seen countries developing more awareness of the sport. Perhaps this will help the national media start treating MLS and the Open Cup the same way they treat the other major leagues.