According to US media, from the beginning of the 2026 season, MLS matches will be available on Apple TV - the leading streaming platform, currently including matches of the American Professional Baseball Championship as well as series with scripts such as Severance.
This move marks a major change in both MLS and Apple's communication strategy, as the tech giant will end Season Pass - a subscription service exclusively for MLS matches provided by Apple.
Apple and MLS signed a 10-year media copyright deal in 2022, under which Apple becomes the exclusive global announcer of the US professional football tournament. However, instead of broadcasting matches on the newly launched streaming service, Apple has launched a season pass with an additional subscription package exclusively for MLS matches.
The Season Pass package priced at $14.99/month, compared to $12.99 for a separate monthly Apple TV subscription package was launched in 2023. Apple does not provide data on subscribers for its streaming services.
MLS Deputy Member Gary Stevenson said that discussions on moving the tournament to Apple TV have begun as Apple's main streaming platform thrives.
While Stevenson did not go into details, some terms of the deal changed as MLS matches moved to Apple TV.
Since its involvement in the streaming industry, Apple has had a method of adding sports content to its platform and ensuring monopoly in an increasingly segmented sports viewing ecosystem.
Most recently, Apple and Formula 1 signed a 5-year media copyright exclusive contract, meaning all races will be streamed online on Apple TV in the US starting next year. According to US media, Apple spends $ 140 million a year on F1 patenting.
Apple is looking to change the current sports viewing experience. While sports directly attract a huge audience in pay TV packages, the rise of streaming services has led to a segmented market where consumers often have to register for multiple subscription packages to watch a sport.
Since MLS launched its media copyright deal with Apple, there has been little information about the performance of Season Pass and some doubts about its success.
However, according to a MLS representative, the number of Apple Season Pass registrations has exceeded expectations, although this person did not disclose the specific figure.
The MLS is not highly rated when compared to some other famous professional sports leagues in the US such as NFL, NBA. However, the number of football fans has increased significantly in recent years when superstar Lionel Messi played for Inter Miami.
In addition, the spillover effect of the 2026 World Cup being held in the US, Canada and Mexico also contributed to boosting viewers' interest in football in the US.
