Mls season begins on Apple TV as all 30 clubs launch MLS is Back weekend
The 2026 Major League Soccer season officially kicks off on Apple TV as all 30 clubs take the field for MLS is Back weekend on February 21–22, a launch that puts every regular-season match behind a single streaming platform. The move is positioned to broaden the league’s reach ahead of the FIFA World Cup coming to North America, a timing that league leadership says will amplify interest across the United States and Canada while pausing play in late May so communities can engage with the global tournament.
Mls on Apple TV
Beginning this season, every MLS match will be available on Apple TV, making the 31st season of the league accessible to Apple TV subscribers in more than 100 countries and regions with no blackouts. Apple’s presentation for the season includes in-depth coverage, exclusive content and access to postseason and special events such as Leagues Cup, the Michelob ULTRA Campeones Cup, the MLS All-Star Game, and the Audi MLS Cup Playoffs. The announcement also promotes new appointment viewing moments on Saturdays and Sundays, and the league says the change aims to make MLS easier to find, easier to watch and more accessible than before.
Inter Miami CF at LA Memorial Coliseum
All 30 clubs will be in action for the opening weekend. The slate is headlined by Inter Miami CF at LAFC at 9: 30 p. m. ET on February 21, live from the historic LA Memorial Coliseum, where more than 70, 000 fans are expected to attend the matchup. That game will debut the new Walmart Saturday Showdown presentation and spotlights stars framed in league materials as MLS MVP Lionel Messi and Inter Miami CF facing Son Heung-Min and LAFC. The LA Galaxy will host New York City FC in the first Sunday Night Soccer presented by Continental Tire match on February 22 at 7 p. m. ET, with dedicated in-stadium pre- and postgame shows and bespoke English and Spanish graphics.
Pause for FIFA World Cup and host cities
The league will pause play in late May to allow fans, players and communities to fully experience the FIFA World Cup as it arrives in the region. All 13 World Cup host cities are home to MLS clubs, the league will see a record number of its players representing their countries, and several MLS stadiums and training facilities will host visiting national teams. League play is scheduled to resume in the days leading up to the World Cup Final.
Key dates: Miami Freedom Park, MLS All-Star Game, Decision Day
The season calendar lists several marquee dates: Inter Miami CF will open Miami Freedom Park on April 4; the MLS All-Star Game presented by Chime is set for Charlotte on July 29; Leagues Cup returns in August as a renewal of the rivalry with LIGA MX; Decision Day is scheduled for Nov. 7 to set the postseason picture; and a month of uninterrupted Audi 2026 MLS Cup Playoffs will follow, culminating in MLS Cup presented by Audi on Dec. 18.
Apple Sports app, Shot on iPhone and production enhancements
New production elements are part of the Apple TV package: Walmart Saturday Showdown will feature enhanced production, including “Shot on iPhone” moments captured with dynamic angles designed to bring viewers closer to the action. The league plans 13 of the 15 season openers to be played on Saturday of the opening weekend. Fans can follow scores, stats and standings on the free Apple Sports app for iPhone, which offers play-by-play, team stats, lineup details and live betting odds and can direct users to matches in the Apple TV app. The materials reference iOS 18 and watchOS 11, but the announcement text in the provided context is incomplete and unclear in the provided context.
Vancouver Whitecaps FC attacking midfielder and 2014 FIFA World Cup champion Thomas Müller, who joined Whitecaps FC last August, is quoted expressing excitement for his first full season in MLS and noting the opportunity for fans everywhere to follow his team’s journey on Apple TV. The league’s leadership framed the move to Apple TV as a way to reach a larger audience and add value through Apple TV’s programming offerings.
What makes this notable is the confluence of a consolidated global streaming home for every match, the debut of new televised appointment features such as Walmart Saturday Showdown and Sunday Night Soccer, and the league’s planned pause for the World Cup—steps the league says are intended to convert the World Cup’s regional presence into sustained momentum for the season.
