2026 should be the most important year in Major League Soccer history.

MLS is coming off its strongest season ever, capped by a 2025 finale that delivered record global viewership and massive social engagement, underscoring the scale of the Messi Effect. With Lionel Messi’s contract extended through 2028 and the global soccer world increasingly focused on North America ahead of 2026, the league enters a pivotal stretch that could define its next era.

In this episode of Finance of Football, Michael LoRé and Asli Pelit unpack what’s driving MLS’s momentum and whether the league is positioned to turn attention into permanence. They examine soaring team valuations, continued expansion interest, and why MLS now claims the youngest and most diverse fanbase among North American men’s professional leagues.

The conversation looks at how Gen Z audiences consume soccer through highlights, social media, and athlete-driven storytelling, and why MLS’s international roster — with players representing more than 70 countries — gives the league a unique global advantage. They also discuss the significance of MLS’s Apple deal in expanding worldwide access and what a World Cup-driven halo effect could mean for the league in 2026 and beyond.

As MLS approaches its 30th season with unprecedented visibility, the central question isn’t whether the league is growing, but whether this moment can permanently change soccer’s place in the American sports landscape.

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Asli - @brefootcontessa

Michael - @michale.lore

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On Instagram - @financeoffootballpod

On Facebook - /financeoffootball

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The Finance of Football, a Frequency Machine Podcast, is…

Written, Hosted, and Produced by Asli Pelit and Michael LoRé

Editing and Sound Design by Ryan Hammond

Mixing and Mastering by Julian Kwasneski

Executive Produced by Ryan Hammond, Stacey Book and Avi Glijansky

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