It's no secret the popularity of soccer is growing in the United States. Though European leagues draw the most attention due to their star power, MLS' profile is rising as fans become more interested in the homegrown talent that could feature for the men's national team one day.
Diving into a new sport, or even league, can be daunting. Thankfully, The Duel is here to help with answers to your most burning MLS questions.
- What does MLS stand for in soccer?
- How many games are in an MLS season?
- How long are MLS soccer games?
- Do MLS soccer games have overtime?
- What are the field dimensions of an MLS pitch?
- What size is the goal in MLS?
- How much do MLS soccer players make?
The acronym MLS stands for Major League Soccer. This is the United States' top men's professional soccer league that was founded in 1993 and is currently 29 years old. It was created as part of the United States' bid to host the 1994 FIFA World Cup. MLS was preceded by the North American Soccer League (NASL), which operated in the USA and Canada from 1968 to 1984.
A typical MLS season features 34 games, as each team plays 17 at home and 17 on the road. The campaign often starts in late February or early March and lasts until December. Clubs in the same conference face each other twice during the season (one at home, one away); some teams in separate conferences do not play each other at all during the season.
MLS soccer matches follow the typical format of two 45-minute halves. A brief halftime follows the f irst 45 minutes of the match. Stoppage time can be added on to the end of each half by the referee to make up for any minutes that were lost due to interruptions, such as injuries. Matches during the regular season do not use an overtime period — a.k.a. extra time — but the 2023 playoffs will.
During the regular season, MLS matches do not utilize extra time (a.k.a. overtime). If a regular-season game is tied at the end of play, it results in a draw and each team receives 1 point toward their overall standing. However, the league has adopted new extra time rules for the 2023 playoffs, which include two additional 15-minute periods that will be played in their entirety. This is followed by a penalty shootout if the score is still tied.
FIFA regulations state pitch es (a.k.a the field) must be between 110-120 yards long and 70-80 yards wide, so that is what MLS teams follow. However, not all MLS pitches are the same. New York City FC's home field at Yankee Stadium measures on the low end at 110 yards x 75 yards, while CF Montreal's pitch at Saputo Stadium is 120 x 77.
Goals across all professional soccer league must follow FIFA's rules, which require the goal to be 24 feet wide and 8 feet tall.
The MLS Players Association released updated salary information in May 2023. This report revealed the average annual salary for MLS players in 2023 is $530,262, which marked a 3.5% increase from 2022's figure of $512,287.