MLS Apple TV Deal and its recent changes, explained

Paul Macdonald

• 26 Feb 2026 18:15 CST
• 4 min read

Analysis

Major League Soccer (MLS) has a single TV broadcasting deal with Apple, one that has run, with much controversy, since 2023.

This coincided with the arrival of Lionel Messi (and friends) at Inter Miami, and the deal was worth $2.5 Billion (€2.11 Bn) across a period of 10 years, equalling out to €211m per season.

MLS model is equitable in that, broadly, each of the 30 teams take home the same share of the TV revenue, with little to no ‘merit’ impact based around on-pitch performance. It’s something that’s worked extremely well for the NFL (broadly speaking) and it’s helped to create a system which has had just one repeat winner in the last decade (Seattle Sounders).

This deal was a landmark shift for MLS, as it was a record deal, but it also placed the majority of matches behind a paywall for the first time. Fans of the league say this restricted visibility and meant that arguably the greatest player of all time was, in effect, hidden from a new audience.

The deal has since been restructured in November 2025 with new payment terms and Apple is looking to bail out early, in 2029 instead of 2032 as previously planned.

MLS is switching to mirror the European season from 2027/28, which runs from August to May. This is easier to remain in sync with their transfer systems, among other benefits. And so Apple has had to restructure how exactly the money will stack up.

In 2026, the last full February-December season, the teams will receive €168m, a reduction that will then subsequently be paid back.

They will then operate with a 2027 ‘mini-season’ to cover the five months from February-May, for which the teams will receive €91m.

For 2027/28 and 2028/29, the league will receive €232m per season, until the deal ends.

ADDITIONAL CHANGES TO THE DEAL

MLS have sunsetted the ‘Season Pass’, priced at $99 for the season. From now on, simply having an Apple TV subscription will allow the user full access to the matches at no additional cost.

MLS will have an issue to contend with when the contract ends and whether or not to renew with Apple (likely at reduced rates, depending on the cultural impact of the World Cup in the summer of 2026). But in other areas the growth has had solid momentum.

Sponsorship revenue for 2025 is up 8% year-on-year to €604m, while league sponsorship revenue experienced double-digit growth over the same period.

And, heading into a World Cup, the local vibe is good. Over 11m fans attended MLS matches in 2025, the most on record, generating the most matchday revenue in the history of the competition.

These numbers put MLS solidly in the pack of mid-tier European leagues.

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