• Loading stock data...
Thursday, October 30, 2025
Want a chance to win $250 and free FOS gear? Take our quick reader survey. Take the survey here

MLS Begins Season With More Messi Mania, Apple Streaming Changes

MLS kicks off its season this weekend, with Inter Miami and Lionel Messi once again garnering the most attention. But the league’s Apple deal and expansion are in the spotlight, too.

Sam Navarro-Imagn Images

The 2025 Major League Soccer season begins this weekend as every club will take the field, culminating Sunday night with the debut of San Diego FC, the league’s 30th franchise. 

From expansion and another year with Lionel Messi to the third season of Apple’s $2.5 billion streaming deal, MLS has plenty happening on and off the pitch.

Messi Mania Continues

Messi and Inter Miami were supposed to kick off Saturday’s 13-match slate, but their match against New York City FC was moved from 2:30 p.m. ET to 7:30 p.m. following the one-day postponement of Miami’s Concacaf Champions Cup contest against Sporting Kansas City from Tuesday to Wednesday, due to extremely cold weather.

Like last season, Miami enters the year as the betting favorites to win the MLS Cup, despite its first-round exit from the playoffs last fall. Messi, 37, remains the league’s biggest star and is expected to once again drive huge crowds both in South Florida and especially on the road against teams that play in NFL stadiums with larger capacities. 

Inter Miami is planning to open its 25,000-seat stadium, Miami Freedom Park, in 2026.

Apple’s Soccer Strategy

The majority of MLS matches will once again be exclusively streaming on Apple TV, with select games simulcast by Fox Sports throughout the year.

Specific subscriber numbers have not been released for MLS Season Pass, which costs $14.99 per month or $99 for the full season. In an interview with MLS commissioner Don Garber ahead of the season, Front Office Sports asked why the league and Apple don’t release those figures. “I would,” Garber said. “Apple doesn’t.”

This season, measures have been taken to increase the service’s reach. Comcast Xfinity and DirecTV customers can now subscribe to MLS Season Pass and watch matches directly through their providers, instead of using the Apple TV app.

Momentum was building around Messi last year heading into the postseason, and Inter Miami’s opening match against Atlanta United was the most widely viewed sporting event ever presented by Apple, the company said. But Miami’s upset exit after that likely hampered further growth. 

More the Merrier?

While reaching 30 franchises is a landmark moment for MLS, further expansion is likely still on the way. 

Las Vegas, Sacramento, and Phoenix are widely believed to be the front-runners to land a team that would require a pricey expansion fee—San Diego paid $500 million when it was awarded a spot in MLS in 2023.

Linkedin
Whatsapp
Copy Link
Link Copied
Link Copied

What to Read

SEC-Led College Football TV Ratings Are Still Up 4% Through Week 9

The average game audience this season is 1.95 million viewers.

NFL Ratings Continue to Surge: CBS and NBC on a Record Pace

NBC is averaging 24.7 million viewers per game for “Sunday Night Football.”

World Series Games 1–2 TV Ratings Are Up With U.S., Canada Combined

U.S. viewership is expectedly down, but it is boosted significantly by Canada.
Oct 24, 2025; Fort Lauderdale, Florida, USA; Inter Miami CF forward Lionel Messi (10) looks on against Nashville SC during the first half at Chase Stadium.

Lionel Messi: MLS Can’t Grow Without More Spending Power

The Inter Miami star recently signed a contract extension through 2028.

Featured Today

September 21, 2025; Santa Clara, California, USA; NFL commissioner Roger Goodell before the game between the San Francisco 49ers and the Arizona Cardinals at Levi's Stadium

NFL Fall Meeting: 7 Big Topics Among Team Owners 

Media, facilities, and labor highlight some of the key areas of concern.
Ohio State Buckeyes running back Isaiah West (32) runs the ball in the second half at Camp Randall Stadium on Saturday, Oct. 18, 2025 in Madison, Wisconsin
October 25, 2025

NIL Has Birthed a Third-Party Cottage Industry—and It’s a Mess

There’s no limit to how much players can make from NIL deals.
Christie's
October 21, 2025

Lou Gehrig’s $4M Jersey and the Exploding Sports Memorabilia Market

An ultra-rare sports collection is about to hit the auction block.
@chef__tezz/Instagram
October 19, 2025

Inside the NFL’s Private Chef Network

Private chefs are the unsung architects of player performance.
Sep 13, 2025; Tokyo, Japan; World Athletics president Sebastian Coe at the World Athletics Championships opening ceremonies at National Stadium.

World Athletics Finds $1.7 Million Stolen by Employees

It will use the “full force of the law” to recuperate losses.
October 28, 2025

WNBA Proposes 30-Day Extension on CBA Negotiations

The CBA expires Oct. 31; a deal is not expected by then.
Terry Rozier
October 29, 2025

NBA Union Says It Will Fight Decision to Withhold Rozier’s Pay

Rozier has one year and $26.3 million left on his contract.
Sponsored

How HOKA is Reimagining the NIL Relationship

TNT Sports is going all-in on college athletics—bringing fans closer and giving brands a powerful new way to connect.
Napheesa Collier
October 28, 2025

WNBA, Players Remain Far Apart With CBA Deadline Days Away 

A union lawyer says a deal will not be reached by Friday.
Alexis Ohanian
October 28, 2025

Alexis Ohanian: Angel City Ownership Setup Was a ‘Terrible Idea’

He admits that the NWSL club’s governance was a disaster.
October 28, 2025

Shohei Ohtani’s Historic World Series Game 3 Sets Up High-Stakes Game 4

Ohtani will start Game 4 on the mound after another epic performance Monday.
Oct 26, 2025; Los Angeles, California, USA; The 2025 World Series logo on the field at Dodger Stadium.
October 27, 2025

Dodger Stadium Games Could Push MLB Payouts to Record Highs

The Dodgers’ big ballpark and ticket prices help fuel postseason player pay.