World Cup Shows MLS Still Has Big Goals to Reach

The 2026 World Cup has been a huge hit in the United States, Canada, and Mexico. Fans have packed stadiums holding more than 70,000 people, and millions more have tuned in on TV. Now, soccer supporters are asking a big question: can Major League Soccer keep that excitement going once the World Cup is over? The answer depends on whether MLS is willing to make some major changes.

Even before the group stage ended, this World Cup had already drawn more fans to stadiums than the 1994 World Cup, which was also held in the United States. That tournament set an attendance record of nearly 3.6 million people. Breaking that record shows just how much American interest in soccer has grown over the past 30 years. People who never cared about soccer before are now glued to their screens.

MLS players have been a big part of the World Cup action. A total of 44 MLS players took part in the tournament — the most ever for the league. Argentina superstar Lionel Messi, who plays for Inter Miami in MLS, became the all-time leading goal-scorer in World Cup history with 19 goals. Canada's Stephen Eustáquio, who plays for LAFC in MLS, scored a dramatic winning goal against South Africa in the 92nd minute.

However, not everything about MLS's World Cup numbers is cause for celebration. If you remove the 13 MLS players who represent countries ranked 40th or lower by FIFA, there are actually fewer MLS players at this World Cup than the 37 who played four years ago. That means the league's top-level talent is not growing as fast as fans might hope. MLS has been around for 30 years, and it still has not made the big leap that would put it among the world's best leagues.

One of the biggest problems is that MLS games are hard to find on TV. Most matches are locked behind a streaming paywall, meaning fans must pay for a special subscription just to watch. The league has moved some games out from behind Apple's season pass paywall, which is a good start. But experts say the real goal is getting MLS onto the regular TV channels that sports fans already know and trust.

MLS also needs to make the sport easier for young people to play. Right now, the league's youth programs are seen as too restrictive and exclusive — they limit who can take part. One major complaint is that MLS Next, the league's youth program, does not let players also play on their high school teams. Opening these programs to more young people would help grow the sport from the ground up and bring in future stars.

The World Cup has handed MLS a golden opportunity. Millions of new fans have discovered how exciting soccer can be. If the league acts now — removing paywalls, getting on familiar TV channels, and welcoming more young players — American soccer could reach a whole new level. The time to act is now, while the excitement is still fresh.