Soccer <\/p>\n
The 2026 FIFA World Cup<\/a> is almost over, but soccer keeps going. And going. And going.\u00a0<\/p>\n Seriously, there is so much soccer beyond the World Cup. That includes, of course, Major League Soccer.<\/p>\n The World Cup is an amazing, communal event. But it is an event; it comes and goes. Whereas following a team lets you be part of a long-term community and a long-term story.<\/p>\n The communities in MLS approach fandom in a way no one else in the U.S. and Canada can. The teams in MLS tell their story in a way that no one else in the sport does.<\/p>\n Let’s explore it.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n If you\u2019re just learning the sport, you might have, like many of us, been drawn in by the fact that music is a constant in soccer fandom. There are drums, trumpets and makeshift choirs all around the sport. That includes MLS.<\/p>\n You can throw yourself right in the middle of it and join a group like LAFC<\/a>\u2019s 3252 or Portland<\/a>\u2019s Timbers Army, or you can appreciate it from a bit further away.<\/p>\n Either way, you get an atmosphere in soccer that\u2019s unique to other sports. MLS gives you a chance to be a part of that.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n It also gives you a chance to build lasting relationships in a way other sports don\u2019t.<\/p>\n Teams have \u201cSupporters\u2019 Groups,\u201d which, at their core, are social clubs that have the added benefit of supporting your team and your community.<\/p>\n You can drink with friends, paint tifos, play drums and do community service. It\u2019s basically like going to a summer camp for adults. There are activities<\/em>. Plus, ya know, you get to watch the soccer matches.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n The largest collective TIFO in MLS history celebrating the Portland Timbers All-Time XI #RCTID<\/a><\/p>\n Over six months of work and 20-thousand feet of painted canvas. Incredible \ud83e\udd29 pic.twitter.com\/q9C1zpntYR<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n \u2014 Adam Susman (@Adam_Susman) July 20, 2025<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote><\/div>\n You could decide to start following a European club. You just have to pick from the same 10 teams that have actually won anything meaningful this century that everyone else picks from, or Tottenham.<\/p>\n OR.\u00a0<\/p>\n You could come to MLS, where last year\u2019s first-place team (Philadelphia<\/a>) is currently in last place and last year\u2019s 20th-place team (San Jose<\/a>) is currently tied for second place and no one really understands why or how, but that\u2019s ok because it\u2019s MLS.\u00a0<\/p>\n Things change in a hurry around here. No match is a guarantee. No season is a guarantee. And teams are constantly rising and falling.<\/p>\n When you\u2019re one of the lucky ones who get to experience an elite MLS team despite all that, the joy hits hard. It truly feels like a blessing.\u00a0<\/p>\n Some teams are better than others at tilting the odds in their favor, of course. But money only gets you so far in a salary cap league. Some of MLS\u2019s biggest spenders are sitting near the bottom of the standings right now.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n Standings heading into the World Cup break \ud83d\udc40 pic.twitter.com\/U55NQLDO37<\/a><\/p>\n \u2014 Major League Soccer (@MLS) May 25, 2026<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote><\/div>\n With the salary cap, teams can spend above and beyond on up to six premium roster spots. Three can be \u201cDesignated Players,” a mechanism often known as the Beckham Rule from when David Beckham joined the LA Galaxy<\/a> back in 2007.<\/p>\n Basically, teams can throw as many gold coins from their Scrooge McDuck vaults at these guys as they want without seriously impacting the salary cap. It\u2019s a way to bring extra talent into the league and a mechanism that inherently lends itself to good storytelling.<\/p>\n Also, a Designated Player instantly becomes the face of a team. There is real pressure to perform at all times. In a sport that\u2019s heavily focused on the collective, the DP tag instantly gives you three players to keep a close eye on for better or worse.<\/p>\n The players who embrace that challenge become stars in their communities. The players who don\u2019t\u2026 Did we mention there are a lot of passionate fanbases?<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n \n The atmosphere<\/h3>\n<\/p>\n
The supporters<\/h3>\n<\/p>\n
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The parity<\/h3>\n<\/p>\n
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The stars<\/h3>\n<\/p>\n