Major League Soccer

Major League Soccer (MLS) continues to gain popularity in North America although the sport of soccer has been one of the world’s favorites long before it’s recent rise here. MLS was founded in 1993 and includes 20 teams in the United States and Canada.

The LA Galaxy is the most recent MLS Cup Championship Winner, winning the club’s 5th title in 2014. This is the most any team has ever won in the league. While the Galaxy earned its prestige via on-field performance, its popularity rose with the announcement of the club signing soccer superstar David Beckham in 2007. Beckham played for the Galaxy from 2007-2012. Before joining the Galaxy, Beckham played for multiple clubs in Europe including Real Madrid. He is now part of an ownership group set to own an MLS expansion team in Miami, which will join the league in 2017.

The regular MLS season runs from March – October, with each team playing 34 games. Similar to other major sports leagues, an annual All-Star game is held midway through each season. This year, the MLS All-Star Game will take place in Denver, CO on Wednesday, July 29. The MLS All-Stars will face off against the Tottenham Hotspur FC. The league is divided into two conferences: East and West. Of the 20 teams, 12 advance to the playoffs each November and the championship final takes place in early December.

While the team plays in a Spring – Autumn season, allowing less risks for cancellations and delays due to harsh temperatures and bad weather, the season can coincide with the World Cup and the Gold Cup, causing many players to miss regular season games.

The Supporters’ Shield is an annual award given to the MLS club with the best record, determined by the league’s point system. D.C. United and the LA Galaxy each have four shields, and the Seattle Sounders FC are the most recent 2014 winners.

Currently, D.C. United leads the East Conference with 35 points and the Vancouver Whitecaps FC lead the West Conference with 32 points.