There will be a new commissioner in town for Major League Soccer as the league owners came together in New York City on Monday to select Los Angeles FC co-owner Larry Berg for the role, succeeding Don Garber. Garber has held the position since 1999, and Berg would become only the third commissioner in league history. While Garber is under contract until the end of the 2027 season, there is expected to be overlap between him and Berg, with Garber remaining commissioner through 2026 and transitioning into a chairman role in 2027 when Berg becomes the next commissioner on January 1.”I’m honored to lead Major League Soccer into its next era,” reported Berg in an MLS statement. “Thanks to the vision and commitment of so many people, Major League Soccer has achieved tremendous success, but I believe our greatest opportunities are still ahead. We have an extraordinary opportunity to strengthen the quality of our competition, develop more world-class players, deepen our connection with supporters, and continue elevating Major League Soccer’s place in the global game. Together with our owners, clubs, players, partners, supporters, and league staff, I could not be more excited for what comes next.”Berg has been part of LAFC’s ownership group since they joined as an expansion side and has helped the club turn into a force in the league. Berg will have to divest his shares of LAFC as part of this deal, but he comes with a strong business background, having also spent time at Apollo Global Management and McGraw-Hill Education. Serving as the co-chair of MLS’ Sporting & Competition Committee, Berg has already had a heavy involvement in new league initiatives, including a massive one on the horizon: a move to a European calendar, which will happen in late 2027 following a sprint season scheduled to run from February to May of 2027 before getting in line with the rest of the global calendar.
This experience will be important as the league moves into a new era with things such as an expiring Collective Bargaining Agreement and TV deal looming. Having someone who is intimately familiar with the structure of the league is important with so many changes approaching, and could provide a strong transition from the stability that Garber has brought to the league. From what to do with the Whitecaps and BC Place, where their lease is expiring, to the potential for more expansion down the line, Berg will have quite a to-do list to get started on.The MLS Succession Committee that came to the decision on Berg was co-chaired by owners Jimmy Haslam and Bennett Rosenthal while also having board of governors members Cliff Illig, Johh Ingram, Jonathan Kraft, Joe Mansueto and Oliver Mintzlaff. They worked with Garber and advisory firm Korn Ferry to lead to the final group, which came down to Berg and David Nathansen.
Berg will now succeed Garber, whose transformative 27 years at the helm of the league have seen the league grow from 10 to 30 clubs while also overseeing the development of 26 soccer stadiums. Plenty has happened to put the league in a stable position coming out of the 2026 World Cup, but now they’ll look at how to push the league even further as soccer interest in the United States is coming off an all-time high.
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