MLS Expansion: Ambition Meets Growing Pains
Major League Soccer (MLS) revealed in April 2019 its intention to increase its roster to 30 teams by 2021. At the time, the league consisted of 24 clubs, including three based in Canada. Adding six more would not only propel MLS to the status of the world’s largest top-tier football league by club count but also present new logistical challenges. While expansion offers financial rewards through increased revenue, a broader fan base, and heightened visibility, it also raises critical questions about schedule fairness and the balance of competition among teams with varying resources and abilities.
The Unprecedented Rise of Soccer in North America
Interest in soccer has surged dramatically in both the U.S. and Canada. On top of the MLS’s ongoing expansion, 2019 marked the debut of the Canadian Premier League, introducing a new level of professional football on Canadian soil. As MLS welcomed newcomers such as Miami FC, Nashville SC, and Austin FC, league officials found themselves needing robust strategies to manage this rapid influx. The league’s unprecedented growth prompts a reassessment of operational structures to ensure competitive integrity and manageable logistics.
Should MLS Consider Adopting Promotion and Relegation?
Globally, most football leagues use a promotion and relegation system, where successful clubs move up and underperformers drop to lower divisions. This system injects constant excitement and competitive purpose for teams at every level. By contrast, MLS stands almost alone among major leagues without such a mechanism, relying instead on a closed structure familiar to other North American sports like the NBA and NHL. As the league grows, questions arise about whether this model remains sustainable or if a shift could help maintain parity and fan engagement across so many franchises.
Scheduling Dilemmas and the Conference Challenge
Scaling up to 30 clubs presents a potential scheduling crisis. In traditional double round-robin formats, each team would play 58 matches—far more than the 34-game seasons seen in top European leagues like Germany’s Bundesliga or Portugal’s Primeira Liga. Currently, MLS balances its schedule by dividing teams into Eastern and Western conferences, with each team playing intra-conference opponents twice and inter-conference teams once—totaling around 45 regular-season games if unchanged. This, combined with playoff fixtures and international commitments like the CONCACAF Champions League, would stretch the calendar past feasible limits, possibly forcing teams into undesirable climate conditions and increasing player workload to unsustainable levels.
The Case for Promotion and Relegation Amid Expansion
One way to manage the logistics of an expanded league and invigorate competition is to introduce promotion and relegation. This system escalates the importance of every match; teams at the bottom fight to avoid demotion, while ambitious lower-tier clubs strive for a shot at the top flight. Such drama can boost fan interest and prevent complacency among established clubs. However, introducing relegation could be a shock to franchise owners, as dropping from MLS would bring significant financial and reputational risks. Still, the heightened competition could ultimately be healthy for the league’s development and public appeal.
Overcoming North American Tradition: Potential Roadblocks
Adopting a promotion/relegation system would challenge deep-rooted customs in North American sports. Other major leagues in the region thrive on conferences, drafts, and playoffs—concepts largely foreign to the rest of the football world. These traditions were designed to maximize entertainment and create opportunities for parity among teams, but they stand in contrast to the merit-based progression promoted by relegation systems. Changing this fundamental aspect of MLS would require overcoming cultural resistance from fans, broadcasters, and team owners, many of whom are accustomed to the American sporting status quo.
Paving the Way: A Proposal for League Structure Reform
If MLS decides to move forward with further expansion, a staged approach to introducing a second division could address many concerns. For example, maintaining 27 teams for a trial period and relegating the bottom three at season’s end could reduce the top flight’s size to 24. These relegated teams could then anchor a new second division (MLS 2), populated by additional clubs that meet the league’s standards and ambitions. Such a format would provide greater balance in scheduling, inject drama throughout the season, and reduce the risk of a bloated and unwieldy league calendar.
Conclusion: Is It Time for a New Era in MLS?
MLS’s ambitious expansion reflects soccer’s rising popularity across North America. Yet, with growth comes the need for innovations in league structure and competition format. While shifting to a promotion and relegation model would represent a radical change for American sports, it could also be the key to ensuring the league remains competitive, fair, and engaging as it enters a new phase of development. Whether MLS will embrace this global tradition or continue charting its own path remains a central debate for the league’s future.
