MLS Boasts Staggering Spike in Viewership for 2026 Opening Weekend at Messi’s Expense

Moving away from MLS Season Pass is so far proving extremely fruitful for the league.

Inter Miami kicked off the season with a lopsided defeat. | Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images

The 2026 Major League Soccer season started with a bang, and 9.7 million live match viewers tuned in to the action during Opening Weekend.

The buzz surrounding MLS is at an all-time high. The draw of big name players, like Lionel Messi, Son Heung-min and Thomas Müller, as well as the impending World Cup, set to unfold across the United States, Canada and Mexico, have added a new allure to the league, one that has fans fully engaged.

In fact, a historic crowd of 75,673 fans packed out the Los Angeles Coliseum to catch LAFC host Inter Miami at the weekend. The turnout led the way as MLS recorded the highest Opening Weekend attendance in league history.

Fans were also locked in at home. MLS confirmed 9.7 million live viewers across linear and streaming platforms watched the weekend’s drama unfold, headlined by the Black & Gold’s dominant 3–0 win over Messi and the reigning MLS Cup champions.

The recorded viewership boasts a whopping 59% year-over-year increase to open the season. Part of the spike is no doubt down to the league doing away with MLS Season Pass, allowing all Apple TV subscribers to access its slate of fixtures.

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2026 MLS Opening Weekend: By the Numbers

A historic crowd came out to see LAFC take on Inter Miami. | Gina Ferazzi/Los Angeles Times/Getty Images

Not only did MLS generate a massive spike in viewership during the league’s Opening Weekend, but it also showed massive gains across social media.

The league announced MLS and club social channels garnered a 22% increase year over year. There were also 113,000 views on the MLS TikTok Live pregame stream.

In terms of attendance, a record-breaking 387,271 fans flocked to stadiums across the U.S. and Canada to see MLS Opening Weekend unfold in person. Not only was it the highest Opening Weekend attendance in league history, but it was also the highest single match-weekend total ever.

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What Can Fans Expect From Week 2 of the 2026 MLS Season?

Vancouver are in the hunt for their first-ever MLS Cup. | Elizabeth Ruiz Ruiz/Getty Images

All eyes will be on Inter Miami as MLS action resumes this weekend. The Herons are headed to Inter&Co Stadium to take on neighboring rivals Orlando City on Sunday.

The Florida derby gives Javier Mascherano’s men the perfect opportunity to bounce back from their Opening Weekend defeat, but the Lions will also be hungry for redemption after falling 2–1 to Red Bull New York last Saturday.

The current favorites to win the 2026 MLS Cup, LAFC will be back in action against Houston Dynamo. In the wake of star striker Denis Bouanga signing a contract extension with the Western Conference side, Marc Dos Santos’s men will be itching to make another statement on Saturday night.

Other must-see matchups include Real Salt Lake’s home opener against Seattle Sounders on Saturday, as well as Vancouver Whitecaps’ clash with fellow Canadian side Toronto FC.

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