Major League Soccer
| Major League Soccer | ||
| Country | United States and Canada | |
| Confederation | CONCACAF | |
| Founded | 1996 | |
| Level | 1 | |
| Number of teams | 20 | |
| Relegation to | None | |
| Domestic cup | U.S. Open Cup Canadian Championship |
|
| Current champions | Supporters Shield: New York Red Bulls MLS Cup: Portland Timbers (2015) |
|
| Most successful club | Cups: LA Galaxy (5) Shields: D.C. United, LA Galaxy (4 each) |
|
| Website | Official Site | |
Major League Soccer (MLS) is an American soccer league that started in 1996. As of the next season in 2016, there are 20 teams in the league. At least three teams will join the league in the near future. Two are set to join in 2017, a third is planning to join in 2018, and a fourth will join once it builds a new stadium, which will not happen until at least 2018. The commissioner of the league (the person in charge) is Don Garber.
MLS, founded in the United States, is a fully professional league with 20 teams, three of which are based in Canada, and is the top soccer league in both countries. Referees are approved by the United States Soccer Federation and Canadian Soccer Association, which run the sport in the two countries. In turn, U.S. Soccer and the CSA are members of FIFA, which governs all play between national teams and sets the rules for the sport along with the national governing bodies of England, Northern Ireland, Scotland, and Wales.
MLS was formed in 1993 as a professional league, with play starting with 10 teams in 1996. The MLS regular season starts in late March and ends in October, with each team playing 34 games. The regular season is followed by a 12-team playoff tournament to decide the league champion.
Teams[change | change source]
- Atlanta United FC
- Colorado Rapids
- Columbus Crew SC
- Chicago Fire
- D.C. United
- F.C. Dallas
- Houston Dynamo
- Los Angeles Galaxy
- Minnesota United FC
- Montreal Impact
- New England Revolution
- New York City F.C.
- New York Red Bulls
- Orlando City S.C.
- Philadelphia Union
- Portland Timbers
- Real Salt Lake
- San Jose Earthquakes
- Seattle Sounders F.C.
- Sporting Kansas City
- Toronto F.C.
- Vancouver Whitecaps
Former teams[change | change source]
- Tampa Bay Mutiny (1996-2001)
- Miami Fusion (1998-2001)
- Chivas USA (2005-2014)
Future teams[change | change source]
- Los Angeles FC – will start play in 2018. This team will replace Chivas USA, which the league folded at the end of the 2014 season.
- Miami MLS team – Owned in part by former England star David Beckham, the team plans to begin play in 2017 or later, once it can build a new stadium in Miami.
MLS Cup Winners[change | change source]
| Season | Champions | Runner-up |
| 1996 | D.C. United | Los Angeles Galaxy |
| 1997 | D.C. United | Colorado Rapids |
| 1998 | Chicago Fire | DC United |
| 1999 | D.C. United | Los Angeles Galaxy |
| 2000 | Kansas City Wizards | Chicago Fire |
| 2001 | San Jose Earthquakes | Los Angeles Galaxy |
| 2002 | Los Angeles Galaxy | New England Revolution |
| 2003 | San Jose Earthquakes | Chicago Fire |
| 2004 | D.C. United | Kansas City Wizards |
| 2005 | Los Angeles Galaxy | New England Revolution |
| 2006 | Houston Dynamo | New England Revolution |
| 2007 | Houston Dynamo | New England Revolution |
| 2008 | Columbus Crew | New York Red Bulls |
| 2009 | Real Salt Lake | Los Angeles Galaxy |
| 2010 | Colorado Rapids | FC Dallas |
| 2011 | Los Angeles Galaxy | Houston Dynamo |
| 2012 | Los Angeles Galaxy | Houston Dynamo |
| 2013 | Sporting Kansas City | Real Salt Lake |
| 2014 | Los Angeles Galaxy | New England Revolution |
| 2015 | Portland Timbers | Columbus Crew SC |
| 2016 | Seattle Sounders FC | Toronto FC |
Related pages[change | change source]
References[change | change source]
- Best Players in Major league Soccer (MLS) in 2012. hub, n.d. Web. 18 Dec. 2012.
- Major League Soccer. Princeton, n.d. Web. 18 Dec. 2012.
- An Overview of American Soccer History. Dave Litterer, n.d. Web. 18 Dec. 2012.
- Soccer Politics / The Politics of Football. Duke University, n.d. Web. 18 Dec. 2012.
