474. That’s how many days are between the start of the 2025 MLS season and the 2026 FIFA World Cup kickoff in the United States, Canada and Mexico.
It’s not long. The World Cup returns to North America for the first time since 1994, and the situation for the game in the three countries could not be more different.
Soccer is about to explode. There’s seldom a person involved in the game in North America that would disagree. Over the next 474 days, the sporting landscape will change drastically, elevating soccer to a place it’s never been.
This weekend, 30 MLS clubs spanning every corner of the United States and into Canada will kick off the league’s 30th season and the final campaign before a World Cup year. Liga MX is also underway and the top-tier Canadian Premier League will kick off in April.
When the 1994 World Cup landed on American soil, that league was just a dream—a box that had to be ticked to host the tournament. Now, it’s battling with the world’s elite, hoping the 2026 tournament can propel MLS and soccer into uncharted territories, rivalling the NFL, NBA, MLB and NHL followings.
It seems like a lot of pressure in less than 500 days, but it’s deserved. 2025 is the biggest year yet—it’s what will make 2026 and the years that follow.
Between Saturday’s first MLS matches and the World Cup, MLS will likely see some of the final moments of Lionel Messi’s career and potentially shift to a long-rumored winter schedule.
The FIFA 2025 Club World Cup will also be held in the USA, with Inter Miami CF and Seattle Sounders competing, adding another layer of excitement; the USL is also on the verge of launching a new top-tier men’s division, which could rival MLS and potentially add promotion and relegation to the North American picture.
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That’s all just on the men’s pro side, not even touching the changes in development systems for both genders, collegiate soccer and the growth of the women’s game in all three host nations.
The word “formative” wouldn’t even bear the weight the next 474 days will have, and it starts with the 2025 MLS season kicking off with rabid fan bases like the league has never seen before.
That’s only bound to grow, too.
“There’s no denying how much the sport is growing in this country,” USMNT and Nashville SC defender Walker Zimmerman told Sports Illustrated.
“I think there's no denying that there's going to be a significant impact on interest in soccer in the United States following the World Cup. So we know it's a pivotal year or two for our sport in this country, and it's up to us, as the actual soccer players, to bring the product that will keep fans entertained and involved.”
The Hope for a Groundswell Post-2026 World Cup
As much as the 2025 season comes with immense focus, the World Cup remains the hope of a new era for the North American game.
While MLS has grown, with an average attendance of 23,234 in 2024 and some clubs valued at over $1 billion, it still has a long way to go to break out of its niche in the American sporting landscape.
Like MLS, the NFL and MLB even saw growth in 2024 while the NBA stagnated. The NHL, meanwhile, has a boost after its Four Nations Faceoff. For MLS, 2025 isn’t just about setting the table for a big 2026 but also about finding success to rival those leagues while lining up plans for after the World Cup.
For some, these are considered legacy projects, with facilities renovated or built to host the world’s best men’s teams and their fans. While that can range from renovated stadiums to better-maintained fields and even fan-focused facilities, it’s all part of building toward a better future.
That preparation, as much as it fails with some significant events, has been critical to successful world events in North America and will continue to be through the World Cup, should stakeholders in the game want it to be more than just a month-long groundswell.
Although much of the planning can be done surrounding the tournament and preparing for the boosted popularity afterwards, some will also fall on the three teams––in particular, the U.S. men's national team and Canada’s, where the sport lacks relevance outside of significant moments.
Should the USMNT and Canada make a deep run at the tournament? Watch out. The two nations will be at a height like never before, and the game will be at a place it has never seen.
Can MLS Find its Post-Lionel Messi Plan?
Messi won’t be here forever, and MLS knows that. His contract is only guaranteed through 2025.
He’s still the GOAT, but at the same time, he’s 38 years old. There’s lots of magic left, but he’s bound to lose it at some point. There’s not been a soccer player that’s dribbled past Father Time as much as Messi is trying.
Is MLS going to cash in on the Messi and World Cup bump? In 2025, MLS has put some games back on linear television to battle the hurdles surrounding a lucrative Apple TV broadcast deal—something Messi benefits from and has been critical to promoting.
While Inter Miami and Messi's success in 2025 could help elevate the hype, other teams must continue investing in themselves, hoping to maintain the excitement after he leaves.
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Some of that has already happened, as showcased by Atlanta United, FC Cincinnati, and Austin FC’s offseason spending. Yet, it has to be widespread, especially in these formative years.
Another looming aspect is the potential change in the calendar to align with the European schedules. However, frigid winter climates in some of MLS’s Midwest and Northern markets may make that less likely.
The post-Messi and post-World Cup plans are critical. Will MLS set themselves up to cash in?
Can MLS and World Cup Boost Change the Youth Game?
While the first 29 years of MLS and the chapter that has existed since 1994 have been successful, not all aspects of the game in North America have been booming, especially at the grassroots level.
While soccer can be affordable, playing at an organized level can be pricey for any North American family, particularly if a child hopes to reach elite game levels.
In 2024, over three million children were registered to play soccer in the U.S., the highest number of all youth sports. Meanwhile, nearly one million children played in Canada, the highest-participation sport, ahead of hockey.
Passports stamped, tickets punched. Next stop: 2025 U-17 FIFA World Cup. 🏆🌎
— MLS NEXT (@MLSNEXT) February 18, 2025
📸: @USYNT @CanadaSoccerEN pic.twitter.com/x1o8KeKjxV
However, a study from Jersey Watch estimates the cost of playing youth soccer in the U.S. can jump above $1,100 per year per player. That’s a significant hit on a household, with the most recent US Census Bureau citing the median household income at $80,610 in 2023, with Black households median at $54,000 and Hispanic households at $65,000.
In Canada, the median household income was CAD $70,500.
Pay-to-play systems are unlikely to change after the 2026 World Cup, so better facilities and greater participation could only be favorable, with the hope some children may opt for soccer over other sports in the future.
MLS has also been preparing for more elite youth players. It has built out its MLS NEXT Academy system through over 750 teams, covering the U13 to U19 age groups. Many, though, require hefty registration fees while a small number of elite players have the chance to play without fees.
The Academy system may also change the pathway overall, with the NCAA route becoming less sought after and athletes potentially turning to the professional game sooner.
“[I hope Nashville SC and the World Cup can push] Youth participation from all areas of the country, from all ethnicities and groups; there is a more significant interest in it. If you drive the youth participation, you drive the professional league here. I’d love to see more kids wanting to be professional soccer players because they see you can do that in the U.S.,” Zimmerman added.
“I think the more we can show young kids that it is possible to get this country through soccer and the MLS, the bigger the positive. So, we are looking to grow the league, increase participation in the sport, and increase overall interest and fandom.”
Over the next 18 months, though, youth soccer and the developmental side of the game will begin to change, with the potential for the World Cup groundswell to push youth participation to a place it couldn’t have imagined 30 years ago.
Promotion/Relegation?
We are excited to announce the USL is launching a Division One men’s professional league!
— United Soccer League (@USL_HQ) February 13, 2025
This new league will bring top-tier soccer to more communities, elevate the game and create more opportunities for players, clubs and fans.
Read more ➡️ https://t.co/JIsvhD5Ezg pic.twitter.com/uMIAqD5Sz7
As MLS embarks on year 30, USL, the current tiers of professional soccer below it, are looking to rival it. Ahead of their 2025 season, the USL announced the plans for seeking first-division sanctioning from U.S. Soccer, which would, on paper, put it on par with MLS.
USL covers much more of the country than MLS, with 24 teams in its USL Championship and 14 more pro sides in USL League 1. While those teams compete in the U.S. Open Cup as professional sides, the hope is to bring first-division soccer to more markets that aren’t in MLS.
At the same time, it also opens up the possibility of USL adding promotion and relegation through its tiers. While that’s not imminent, it’s a possibility.
For many, no Pro-Rel is the detractor from following MLS. With USL exploring the idea, it might eventually make its way to MLS, but even that would be a long time away.
Regardless, through the next few years and starting in 2025, soccer in the U.S. and North America will change drastically. MLS’s 30th season has already brought it into an unparalleled era, and the World Cup, Club World Cup and potential Women’s World Cup have the potential to change the landscape forever.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com as MLS at 30: Why 2025 and the Next 474 Days Will Change American Soccer Forever.