MLS releases record breaking end-of-season fan data

October 24 – Major League Soccer’s 30th regular season is a wrap, and in an unprecedented move, MLS has released its official audience and attendance data, signalling that the league now feels confident enough in its trajectory to show the world just how far it’s come.

The numbers will have MLS Commissioner Don Garber beaming. Viewership climbed a massive 29% year-over-year, with an average of 3.7 million weekly live viewers across streaming and linear platforms. Meanwhile, actual match-going attendance is the toast of world football, topping 11 million for the second straight season, with 19 clubs averaging more than 20,000 fans per match. A number unmatched by any football league globally (England’s 20-team Premier League sells out but has two stadiums with less than 20,000 capacity).

By integrating figures from Apple TV’s MLS Season Pass, FOX Sports, TSN, RDS, Amazon Prime Video, TikTok, and EA FC Mobile, the league offered a rare, panoramic look at its cross-platform footprint. This footprint clearly demonstrates that the modern football fan consumes the game in a completely different fashion than even ten years ago.

MLS’s willingness to publish this data is also strategic in its timing. With the 2026 FIFA World Cup approaching, MLS is positioning itself as the continent’s footballing crown jewel. By releasing these figures, the league is building transparency, which leads to greater credibility, and these increasing numbers will be music to the ears of sponsors, investors, and expansion hopefuls alike.

On social media platforms, MLS and its clubs racked up an impressive 13.7 billion digital impressions, up 17% year-on-year as the Lionel Messi effect still has the power to drive a social following, now in excess of 109 million. With newcomers Son Heung-Min and Thomas Müller, that figure is expected to increase.

Releasing these figures is the sign that the days of MLS being a niche American experiment are over and is ready to compete with the established leagues of the NFL, NBA, MLB and NHL.

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