MLS Commissioner Don Garber is staying in the MLS.
The new contract means he will extend his tenure at the MLS through the end of 2027. The agreement, approved by the MLS Board of Governors, did not disclose financial details. Garber has been MLS Commissioner since 1999 when the league had just turned four years old. Since then, he has led the league to an unprecedented era of growth and expansion.
Before he took the job, he worked as an NFL marketing executive. His 25 years of experience as MLS commissioner is the second-most for an active leader for a North American sports league, behind only NHL’s Gary Bettman. Since his hiring in 1999, he has overseen the expansion of the league from 10 teams to 30 at the start of 2025. 22 of those 30 teams are playing in their soccer-specific stadium.
Garber has also overseen the acquisition of major stars in the league such as David Beckham and Lionel Messi. He also helped broker a historic Apple TV deal for the rights to broadcast league matches for 10 years at $2.5 billion, betting on the rise of streaming to further grow the league.
Speaking in an interview with the outlet Sports Business Journal in August, Garber said:
“The league still has its best days ahead, and it will require new vision and new leadership at some point in the future. I’m going to be part of that process to ensure that you know the league is in good hands and that somebody else, at the right time, can take it to whatever levels that everybody believes is achievable.”
The MLS Cup Final is set to be played this Saturday, December 7th. LA Galaxy will play the New York Red Bulls at Dignity Health Sports Park in Carson, CA.
