As the 2026 FIFA World Cup reaches its final stages, Major League Soccer (MLS) has launched its largest-ever national advertising campaign, aiming to capitalize on the tournament's surge in soccer interest across the United States. The campaign, featuring the tagline "Thanks, world, we’ll take it from here," underscores the league’s intention to attract new fans and signal a new phase in its development. However, questions remain about MLS’s readiness to fully seize this moment and elevate its standing in global soccer.

MLS was established following the 1994 World Cup hosted by the United States and has spent over three decades building infrastructure, stadiums, and youth development systems. Despite the awarding of the 2026 World Cup to North America eight years ago, major structural reforms in the league are not expected to take effect until 2027 or later. These include transitioning to a summer-to-spring schedule, revamping competition formats, and potential changes to roster spending rules. The latter remains undecided.

Commissioner Don Garber highlighted that since winning the 2026 World Cup bid in 2018, MLS’s focus has been on expanding infrastructure, including adding eight new teams and building stadiums. Critics argue, though, that the league delayed addressing broader evolution until the arrival of high-profile players like Lionel Messi in 2023 sparked renewed urgency.

MLS is also navigating a significant leadership transition, as Garber’s contract is set to expire in 2027 amid ongoing collective bargaining talks with the MLS Players Association. The next commissioner will face the challenge of guiding a league with 30 ownership groups—each with varying levels of ambition and investment timelines—toward consensus on future directions.

Stakeholders acknowledge the need for change but differ on how extensive it should be. While Garber advocates for a measured evolution that builds on MLS’s steady growth, others, such as Inter Miami owner Jorge Mas, call for more radical restructuring. This divide reflects an increasingly complex governance environment where unanimity is difficult.

Current MLS roster and salary cap rules are often described as convoluted, having been pieced together over many years to maintain competitive balance and control costs. For instance, the salary cap limits teams from signing players with cap hits exceeding $1.8 million without using a designated player slot—a factor that restricts access to many quality international players. Sporting directors widely support shifting toward a simplified salary cap system with fewer restrictions and designated player spots reserved for marquee talent, which could foster a more competitive and appealing league without necessarily increasing total spending.

Such reforms would allow teams to pursue varied roster-building strategies—balancing investments in domestic player development and international stars—which could enhance both the quality of play and fan engagement. Greater transparency in the league’s salary and roster rules is also seen as critical for attracting a broader audience familiar with similar structures in other major North American sports.

Garber emphasized that MLS’s transformation, dubbed MLS 3.0, will be a deliberate, phased process rather than an immediate overhaul. “Now that we have the hardware, how do we ensure that as the hardware has become best in class, that we have software that can also be best in class,” he said, referring to the league’s infrastructure and systems.

Despite divergent views on the pace and scope of change, there is optimism among league officials and executives that MLS can build on the World Cup’s momentum to grow significantly in the coming years. Sporting Kansas City general manager Garth Lagerwey expressed confidence: “We can make this thing much, much bigger. Now it’s time to work together and to seize this moment and to see what MLS can be. Because I think there’s such potential and such a great opportunity right now.”