Milestones
Formed:
Status: Active
First Game: April 6, 1996
Seasons: 28 & counting (as of 4/1/2023)
States & Provinces:
Leadership
Commissioner:
- November 1995 – August 1999: Doug Logan
- August 1999 – Present: Don Garber
Trophy Case
Background
Major League Soccer debuted in 1996 as the United States’ first proper 1st Division outdoor league since the demise of the North American Soccer League in 1984. The league endured massive financial losses in its early years and the contraction of two clubs – the Miami Fusion and Tampa Bay Mutiny – in January 2002.
Since then, the league has rebounded strongly to a peak of 29 franchises entering the 2023 season. MLS as a whole now boasts the third highest annual attendance among American sports leagues, trailing only the NFL and Major League Baseball. In 2013 the owners of New York City FC paid a $100 million expansion fee, up from $5 million in the league’s first round of expansion in 1997.
In fairness, MLS probably doesn’t even belong on Fun While It Lasted, as the league is remarkably stable and many would argue (including me) that it has firmly cemented its Major League status in North America now. Nevertheless, we have so many soccer leagues on this site which had similar ambitions (and less success), that it felt necessary to include MLS just to complete the picture of North American soccer.
Major League Soccer Franchise List
[etable]
Franchise, Years Active, MLS Cup Champions
Atlanta United FC, 2017-Present, None
Austin FC, 2021-Present, None
C.D. Chivas USA, 2005-2014, None
CF Montreal, 2021-Present, None
Charlotte FC, 2022-Present, None
Chicago Fire, 1998-Present, 1998
Colorado Rapids, 1996-Present, 2010
Columbus Crew, 1996-Present, 2008-2020-2023
D.C. United, 1996-Present, 1996-1997-1999-2004
Dallas Burn, 1996-2004, None
FC Cincinnati, 2019-Present, None
F.C. Dallas, 2005-Present, None
Houston Dynamo, 2006-Present, 2006-2007
Inter Miami CF, 2020-Present, None
Kansas City Wiz, 1996, 2000 (as Kansas City Wizards)
Kansas City Wizards, 1997-2010, 2000
Los Angeles FC, 2018-Present, 2022
Los Angeles Galaxy, 1996-Present, 2002-2005-2011-2012-2014
MetroStars, 1998-2005, None
Miami Fusion, 1998-2001, None
Minnesota United FC, 2017-Present, None
Montreal Impact, 2012-2020, None
Nashville SC, 2020-Present, None
New England Revolution, 1996-Present, None
New York City FC, 2015-Present, 2021
New York/New Jersey MetroStars, 1996-1997, None
New York Red Bulls, 2006-Present, None
Orlando City SC, 2015-Present, None
Philadelphia Union, 2010-Present, None
Portland Timbers, 2011-Present, 2015
Real Salt Lake, 2005-Present, 2009
St. Louis SC, 2023-Present, None
San Jose Clash, 1996-1999, None
San Jose Earthquakes, 2000-2005, 2001-2003
San Jose Earthquakes, 2008-Present, None
Seattle Sounders FC, 2009-Present, 2016-2019
Sporting Kansas City, 2011-Present, 2013
Tampa Bay Mutiny, 1996-2001, None
Toronto FC, 2007-Present, 2017
Vancouver Whitecaps FC, 2011-Present, None
[/etable]
Major League Soccer Shop
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2 Responses
In 2002 I thought MLS was going to bite the dust, because they got rid of the Tampa and Miami teams. I live in Florida near Tampa and I thought the league was done.
Now in 2014 it has a bright future.
I’ve been supporting DC United since 1998 and next year I’ll be adding the Orlando team to another team I support. In fact Orlando will replace DC United as my favorite team because Orlando is only 3 hours away from me while DC is much farther.
I like walter zenga and i met in the caffe dello sport. He worked very hard as goalkeeper/player or manager of the New England Revolution.