Major League Soccer owners have decided on a new leader, naming LAFC co-owner Larry Berg set to become the league's next commissioner.
Berg, who also worked as the co-chair of Major League Soccer's Sporting and Competition Committee, will be officially unveiled at the MLS offices Tuesday, Aug. 4. He starts the role on Jan. 1, 2027, replacing long-time commissioner Don Garber.
Garber, 68, has been in the position since 1999. He will stay with the league, transitioning into a role as chairman, with an MLS news release saying that the plan will ensure "a seamless leadership transition as MLS enters one of the most transformative periods in its history and builds on momentum from the 2026 FIFA World Cup."
"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," Berg said in a league release. "Together with our owners, clubs, players, partners, supporters, and league staff, I could not be more excited for what comes next."
Berg has worked in private equity, previously working as a senior partner at Apollo Global Management and currently works at 26 North, which was founded by Josh Harris, also a founder of Apollo.
Berg beat out David Nathanson, a former FOX executive, for the role to become just the third-ever commissioner of the league, which started play in 1996. Berg will need to divest in his shares of LAFC, with remaining owners saying in a statement Monday they will miss his contributions but are pleased to see him take charge at the league level.
"His strategic foresight, from the vision behind BMO Stadium to the cultivation of a championship-caliber culture, has been fundamental to our identity. While his absence from our daily operations will be widely felt, the foundation we built together ensures continued success and seamless continuity for LAFC," LAFC managing owners Bennett Rosenthal and Brandon Beck said in a joint statement. "We remain fully committed to driving the club’s future alongside our team led by Larry Freedman and John Thorrington."
It is a time of transition for MLS, which will change its competitive calendar from one that begins in the late winter/early spring and ends in November or December to one that matches most European leagues, beginning in late summer and running through May.
The league also is in an increasingly competitive market, hoping the millions of soccer fans who tuned in to the World Cup will also become fans of their local MLS teams, but knowing those fans have access to leagues all over Europe and South America on TV — and increasingly see those clubs come to U.S. markets for friendly matches and, potentially in the near-future, actual league games.
MLS's own TV deal also is an area of debate when it comes to the league's future. The exclusive contract that puts all matches on Apple TV — first behind a "second paywall" but now available to all Apple TV subscribers — originally ran for a decade. Rather than ending in 2032, however, it now will end after the 2028-29 season, with the league having to decide if it will stay with a streaming service or find a more traditional linear deal — or fuse the two in a way that both serves loyal fans and can draw in casuals.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: MLS announces Larry Berg as next commissioner, replacing Don Garber in 2027
