Cristiano Ronaldo stated that the Saudi League recently.
You may have seen news, like this, trending over the last couple days. The Saudi Pro League is estimated at €544M, which is over $600M. MLS is estimated at €1.24B, roughly $1.3B. Tomorrow, Inter Miami will be pitted against LIGA MX legends Cruz Azul in the 2023 Leagues Cup. The Leagues Cup is a month-long competition between MLS and LIGA MX. So let's discuss the growing popularity of the MLS, and what that means for the future of soccer.
North American Projected Timeline
2024 —
Copa America will be hosted in the United States from June 20 to July 14. Argentina will have a chance to defend their title, with this being the second recorded Copa America hosted in the U.S. This tournament will be a precursor to the 2026 World Cup, also hosted in various locations in North America.
2025 —
The newly formatted (expanded format of 32 teams) World Leagues Cup will be hosted in the United States. This includes clubs such as: Real Madrid, Chelsea, and possibly clubs like the Seattle Sounders will all have a spot to hoist the Cup.
2026 —
Finally, the 2026 World Cup. Hosted by a myriad of sites in North America. New York and New Jersey are also putting a bid to host the World Cup Final. The United States, after a long run, will have the ability to perform on a world stage.
Last year, MLS pulled a record attendance (for a single game) of almost 75,000 in an inaugural Charlotte match against the Galaxy. This year, El Tráfico pulled over 80,000 at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena. The MLS has staggered in popularity, primarily in younger males, but it has contended with the NHL for the 4th most popular sport for over a decade.
Comments