Major League Soccer ended the regular season with a clear message: the sport’s World Cup momentum is turning into stronger fan engagement at club level. The league estimates it reached 11.25 million fans across the campaign and averaged 22,063 spectators per match, the second-highest season figure in its history.
That attendance mark matters because 2024 to 2026 are now the three best-attended seasons in MLS. Three of the ten biggest standalone crowds in league history featured Inter Miami, with Inter Miami matches at Colorado, LAFC and D.C. United all landing among the biggest figures ever recorded in the competition.
Viewership surge highlights MLS’ post-World Cup lift
On the viewing side, MLS says it averaged 7.2 million gross live match viewers per week across Apple TV, linear partners in the US and Canada, and international platforms. That represents a 93% increase compared with 2025.
The league also highlighted how interest has continued after the World Cup break. Since then, it says viewing on Fox and FS1 rose by 45% among men aged 18-34 and by 18% across all adults in that age band. A standout example cited by MLS was Nashville SC against Atlanta United on 17 July, which drew 587,000 viewers on Fox—described by the league as the network’s most-watched MLS regular-season match since 2020.
Digital engagement also moved upwards, with MLS reporting 19.1 billion social media impressions across the league and clubs and 838 million engagements. It added that combined followers reached 123.5 million, with 14.8 million new followers during the year, while MLSsoccer.com page views rose by 28%.
Keeping momentum as the calendar and TV rights change
MLS says it now has the youngest fanbase of any major US men’s league, with an average age of 39.6—an important detail as it tries to sustain growth beyond the World Cup window.
But the challenge is timing. MLS moves into a 14-game sprint season before switching to a European-style calendar, while its linear media deal with Fox is due to end after this season, with further talks under way about future coverage.
For supporters planning ahead, the MLS Cup Playoffs begin on 19 November, with the final scheduled for 18 December.
