Story Highlights
- The MLS board of governors unanimously voted to elect Larry Berg as the league’s next commissioner, with his term beginning January 1, 2027.
- Berg, a private equity executive and co-managing owner of Los Angeles FC, will become only the third commissioner in MLS history.
- Current commissioner Don Garber, who has led MLS since 1999, will transition to a chairman role to ensure continuity during the handover.
- Berg is required to divest his ownership stake in LAFC as a condition of assuming the commissioner role.
What Happened
Major League Soccer’s board of governors convened at the league’s midtown Manhattan headquarters on Monday for a closed-door meeting that concluded with a historic vote. The assembled owners selected Larry Berg, co-managing owner of Los Angeles FC, as the next commissioner of Major League Soccer. Berg will officially assume the role on January 1, 2027, succeeding Don Garber, who has held the position since 1999 and whose contract with the league runs through the end of that year.
The vote followed presentations made earlier in the day by Berg and David Nathanson, who was the other finalist for the position. Nathanson brought a background rooted primarily in sports media, having spent considerable time at Fox while also holding investment stakes in the Seattle Sounders, Angel City FC of the NWSL, and the NHL’s Seattle Kraken. Berg’s profile, by contrast, is anchored in private equity and hands-on league ownership, which ultimately carried the day with the ownership group.
- The vote took place Monday among all MLS owners at league headquarters in midtown Manhattan.
- Berg will be the third commissioner in MLS history, succeeding Don Garber.
- David Nathanson, a sports media executive, was the other finalist for the position.
- Berg’s term officially begins January 1, 2027, with Garber moving to a chairman role.
Why It Matters
The selection of Larry Berg represents a pivotal moment for a league that is entering what league officials have described as one of the most consequential stretches in its three-decade history. MLS has been steadily expanding its footprint, its media rights portfolio, and its ambitions on the global soccer stage. Berg’s background in private equity — including his senior advisory role at 26North and his prior partnership at Apollo Global Management — positions him as a commissioner with a strong command of financial strategy at a time when franchise valuations and revenue streams are growing rapidly.
Berg’s track record at LAFC also offers a compelling blueprint. Under the ownership group he helped lead, LAFC evolved into one of the league’s most admired organizations — consistently competitive on the field, innovative in its operations, and valued by Forbes at approximately $1.32 billion as of May 2026. His challenge as commissioner will be to extend that standard of excellence league-wide, particularly in major markets like New York and Chicago where MLS has historically struggled to capture dominant mindshare.
- Berg’s private equity expertise is expected to sharpen MLS’s financial and business strategy during a critical growth period.
- LAFC, valued at approximately $1.32 billion, is considered one of the league’s model franchises under Berg’s co-ownership.
- Smaller-market owners who have invested less heavily in their rosters will be key stakeholders Berg must balance.
- Berg must divest his LAFC ownership shares as a condition of taking the commissioner role.
Political and Public Context
The leadership transition comes at a moment of unusual significance for American soccer more broadly. The sport is experiencing elevated national interest heading into major international tournaments on home soil, and MLS is working to establish itself as a premier global destination for top talent. Berg’s appointment signals that the ownership group believes a business-minded, operationally experienced leader is the right fit for that ambition.
Berg’s path into professional soccer began in 2014 when he invested as a limited partner in the newly formed LAFC, before rising to become a managing owner in 2016 following an internal ownership restructuring. He also chairs MLS’s sporting and competition committee, giving him deep institutional knowledge of how the league governs player acquisition, roster rules, and competitive standards — all areas that will come under his purview as commissioner.
- Berg initially joined LAFC as a limited partner investor when the club was founded in 2014.
- He became a managing owner in 2016 following an internal buyout process within the LAFC ownership group.
- Berg currently chairs MLS’s sporting and competition committee, providing significant league-level experience.
- LAFC’s sporting director John Thorrington was named MLS sporting executive of the year in 2024, reflecting the club’s organizational strength.
What Happens Next
Between now and January 1, 2027, Berg will work through the required divestiture of his LAFC ownership shares while preparing for the formal transition of power. Don Garber’s continued presence in a chairman capacity is designed to provide institutional memory and guidance during that interval, helping Berg get up to speed on ongoing league negotiations, expansion discussions, and broadcast partnerships.
The league will be closely watched to see how Berg shapes MLS’s competitive structure, spending rules, and international recruitment efforts in his early tenure. His background suggests he will approach the commissioner role with data-driven discipline, though his success will depend heavily on building consensus among a diverse group of owners ranging from well-capitalized clubs in major markets to smaller franchises still developing their fan bases and revenue streams.
- Berg must complete the divestiture of his LAFC ownership stake before assuming the commissioner role.
- Garber will remain involved as chairman to facilitate a smooth leadership handover through 2027.
- Key open questions include how Berg will reshape MLS roster and spending rules to enhance competitiveness.
- Observers will watch whether Berg can accelerate MLS growth in underperforming major markets such as New York and Chicago.
