By Rory Carroll
LOS ANGELES, Aug 3 (Reuters) - Major League Soccer named Los Angeles FC co-managing owner Larry Berg as its next commissioner on Monday, tapping the private equity executive to succeed longtime leader Don Garber on January 1, 2027.
Garber, who has led MLS since 1999, will remain commissioner through the end of 2026 before becoming chairman, the league said.
Berg was selected by the MLS Board of Governors following a succession process led by a committee of club owners. The 30-team league
said he would sell his ownership interest in LAFC under its established transition process in order to avoid conflicts of interest.
"I'm honored to lead Major League Soccer into its next era," Berg said in a statement. "I believe our greatest opportunities are still ahead."
Berg, a founding co-managing owner of LAFC, also serves as co-chair of MLS's Sporting and Competition Committee. He helped launch the Los Angeles club in 2018 and oversaw a period in which they won the MLS Cup in 2022 and Supporters' Shield titles in 2019 and 2022.
The appointment puts Berg in charge as MLS prepares for a pivotal stretch following the World Cup in North America.
The league plans to introduce a new competition calendar in 2027 to align with top global leagues and will also face discussions over its player squad rules, future media rights and a new collective bargaining agreement.
"Larry Berg is the right leader for Major League Soccer's next chapter," Jimmy Haslam, co-chair of the MLS succession committee, said in a statement.
Berg has experience outside MLS, having held ownership interests in Italian Serie A side AS Roma and Welsh club Swansea City. He spent more than three decades in private equity, serving as a senior partner at Apollo Global Management until retiring from the firm in 2022. He later joined investment firm 26North as a senior partner.
Garber will leave the commissioner's role after 27 years in charge, a period during which MLS expanded from 10 clubs to 30 and increased its footprint across the United States and Canada. Twenty-six soccer-specific stadiums were built during his tenure.
Garber said Berg's work with LAFC and MLS had demonstrated the leadership qualities required for the role.
"His integrity, judgement, collaborative leadership, and unwavering commitment to building LAFC and the league have made him an invaluable partner," Garber said.
Berg is due to be formally introduced at MLS headquarters in Manhattan on Tuesday.
(Reporting by Rory CarrollEditing by Christian Radnedge)
