Major League Soccer facts for kids

Kids Encyclopedia Facts
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
David Beckham Nov 11 2007
David Beckham was the league's first Designated Player in 2007.

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

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

  • Red Bull Arena on the First Day

    The 2010 season also brought the opening of the New York Red Bulls' soccer-specific stadium, Red Bull Arena.

  • Columbus crew stadium mls allstars 2005

    Mapfre Stadium, MLS' first soccer-specific stadium

  • Soundersfcqwestfield

    CenturyLink Field, home of the Seattle Sounders FC

  • 2012 Impact Montreal Stade Saputo

    Montreal Impact hosting D.C. United (August 2012).


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Major League Soccer Facts for Kids. Kiddle Encyclopedia.