MLS quality improvement is set to become the central strategic priority under incoming commissioner Larry Berg, who has outlined a performance-driven roadmap focused on elevating on-field standards and strengthening the league’s youth-development pipeline ahead of the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
As a co-owner of Los Angeles FC and private equity executive, Berg will replace longtime commissioner Don Garber. His first priority is to take advantage of the likely boost in global interest for the 2026 World Cup and drive ongoing domestic growth while at the same time developing the league’s product competitively alongside it.
A virtuous circle between quality and commercial scale is the heart of Berg’s business model. Enhanced match quality should lead to increased engagement of fans, which will help to generate greater revenue from matchday, sponsorship and broadcast opportunities, that can be ploughed back into player development, infrastructure and talent acquisition.
A structural lever will be the expansion of youth development systems, a key one. More academies are expected to invest more in MLS and continue to improve their scouting processes and make more structures for progressing from grassroots to first-team football. This is similar to best practice elsewhere in the world where reliance on external transfers is minimised and domestic talent pipelines are well established and cost effective.
Berg’s strategy is more toward building assets over time, as opposed to rapid visibility plays, from a league-operations standpoint. The value of star signings isn’t the end goal for sustainability, it’s the ability to deliver consistent production of talent and tactical quality from clubs.
Timing is critical. The MLS now has the opportunity to get unprecedented exposure with the 2026 World Cup set to be hosted across North America. But whether it will result in lasting fan growth and better league positioning across the world will lie in its execution.
