For too long, the major North American soccer league has remained in the shadows, not truly popular even in the United States, but now that trend looks set to change. On the eve of the 2026 World Cup, local investors began to really generously invest money in the development of infrastructure and attracting stars – in Miami they brought together four irreplaceable players from Barcelona, which ten years ago was considered one of the strongest clubs on the planet. Thanks to Messi’s transfer, fans from all continents became interested in MLS broadcasts, but one should not think that all the interest rests on the Argentine alone.
If you like sports and follow North American football, go to where to start betting. Here are some guesses about the possible winner of the tournament, based on current bookmaker odds.
Who should be considered the winner of the season in MLS?
MLS is played fundamentally differently than most domestic world championships – its calendar is much more similar to that used in the NBA and NHL. First of all, there are two conferences – Western and Eastern, but they cannot be called separate groups, because representatives of the West and East play among themselves during the regular season, and not the same number of matches with different opponents.
There are three standings at once: separately for each of the conferences and the overall one at the end of the regular season. The logic of a fan living outside North America dictates that the champion should be considered the club that takes first place in the regular season, but Americans and Canadians think differently – the leader receives the so-called Supporters’ Shield, which gives a ticket to the CONCACAF Champions League , but not gold medals.
After the end of the regular season, the best teams – eighteen in total – play for the so-called MLS Cup, which is an integral part of the season. At this stage, losing a pair means elimination, and since the East and West do not meet until the finals, it is possible to win the conditional title of conference champion in the semifinals. However, full gold medals are given only for winning the final match. It is the contenders for gold based on the results of the cup part that are considered in this article.
Inter Miami – 3.2
At the end of the last regular season, the club, created only in 2020, took a modest 27th place – third from bottom. In most national championships, such “success” would mean a relegation, but MLS, like other North American tournaments, does not involve exchanges with any lower leagues.
And this season, yesterday’s losers are already considered the main contenders for the trophy, and with a huge gap from their competitors. The reason is obvious: David Beckham, who has huge connections and owns the club, managed to attract solid investments, and Leo Messi himself plus Busquets, Alba and Suarez now play in his team! All of them, of course, are old guys, but the core turned out to be very stellar, and the level of resistance in the league is such that they are still capable of crushing opponents. This is exactly what is expected of them.
Los Angeles FC – 8
Stability may be a sign of quality, but LAFC is unlikely to be very happy about it – in the previous two seasons, the team, taking either first or eighth place in the regular season, reached the MLS Cup final, but always lost there. Therefore, one should not be surprised that the team is now hanging somewhere in the middle of the standings – they have enough reserves of strength to break through to the stage with knockout matches, and there they can shift into second gear.
Another thing is that it is possible to lose the final for the third time, given how much more stellar and expensive Inter’s squad is. Los Angeles is also well stocked with foreign players, but there are no real world-class stars there, even those approaching retirement age – with the exception of former French national team goalkeeper Hugo Lloris.
Los Angeles Galaxy – 10
We still need to get from the Western Conference to the MLS Cup final, given that two teams from the same city are considered the favorites of the season with approximately equal probability. Galaxy once attracted David Beckham himself to their ranks, but now they have a more modest squad – the only real stars that can be distinguished are the Uruguayan Martin Caceres, who played for a number of Spanish clubs, including Barcelona, as well as Juventus and Lazio. However, he is now more notable for his big name, and not for his game – age is taking its toll.
New York Red Bulls – 11
This club has never become an MLS champion before, and has only played in the final once, a long time ago – back in 2008. However, do not forget who owns the team – Red Bull, investing in sports, hopes that each such project will pay off with interest. The main priority for the network is, naturally, RB Leipzig, which plays in Germany and the European Champions League, but in New York young talents and players of the so-called “second tier” in the best sense of the word can be tested. This may also include performers “written off” in Europe, but still valuable in America – like the famous Swedish striker Emil Forsberg.
Columbus Crew – 12
Three-time, and most importantly, current MLS champion; a team in this status simply must meet certain expectations. However, too much has changed in the new season – There are a lot of tough-toothed competitors who won’t let you easily repeat last year’s success. There are no players recognized by fans all over the world on the Columbus roster – all hope is for a balanced team game.
Conclusion
The complex two-stage principle of the MLS trophy draw makes it very difficult to predict the winner – a team can perform stunningly during the regular season, but make a mistake once in the cup portion. Or vice versa – fool around all year, vegetating in the middle of the table, and in the fall gather your courage and take the title. But in general, the bookmakers are right – Inter looks much more promising than all its rivals.
