Major League Soccer facts for kids
| Founded | 1996 |
|---|---|
| Country | United States and Canada |
| Level on pyramid | 1 |
| Most championships | 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.
2016 clubs
- Colorado Rapids
- Columbus Crew SC
- Chicago Fire
- D.C. United
- F.C. Dallas
- Houston Dynamo
- Los Angeles Galaxy
- 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
Future teams
- Atlanta United FC – will start play in 2017
- Minnesota United FC – Will replace a team of the same name that now plays in the second-level North American Soccer League. The MLS team will begin play in 2017, and will play its first season at TCF Bank Stadium in Minneapolis before completing a new stadium in St. Paul for the 2018 season.
- 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
| 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 |
Related pages
Images for kids
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The 2010 season also brought the opening of the New York Red Bulls' soccer-specific stadium, Red Bull Arena.
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Mapfre Stadium, MLS' first soccer-specific stadium
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CenturyLink Field, home of the Seattle Sounders FC
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Montreal Impact hosting D.C. United (August 2012).
