Major League Soccer Commissioner Don Garber has acknowledged that promotion and relegation remains a possibility for the future but insists it is not the right move for the league at this time.
Speaking publicly on the topic, Garber reflected on how his thinking has evolved over the years, noting changes he once considered unthinkable have already come to pass.
“I will say this now that I wouldn’t have said five years ago, I never thought we’d change our calendar and we did. I never thought we’d have 30 teams and we do. I never thought we’d have 29 stadiums, and we will. I never thought we’d ever talk about promotion, relegation,” he said.
Garber made clear the door is not permanently closed, adding: “There is a time where if it makes sense for Major League Soccer to be what we want it to be, we need to have promotion/relegation, we’ll do it. If it doesn’t make sense, we won’t.”
Promotion and relegation is a system where the worst-performing clubs in a division are dropped to a lower tier, while the best teams from that lower tier earn their place in the top flight.
MLS launched back in 1996 with just 10 teams and now operates a closed system with 30 clubs across the United States and Canada.
The most recent addition to the league, San Diego, paid a $500 million expansion fee to begin play in 2025, reflecting the enormous financial investment now required to join the competition.
Beyond expansion fees, clubs have also poured significant resources into stadium construction, academy programs, and wider player development pathways across the league.
Garber pushed back on the idea that promotion and relegation would be a transformative fix for any shortcomings in American soccer, saying he has not heard investors demanding it as a condition of backing the league.
“I don’t think it is the key to solving any issues that people see about our sport. When I’m talking to the football-playing world and investors, they’re not saying, ‘I’m not going to invest unless they have promotion or relegation,'” Garber said.
MLS is set to transition to a summer to spring schedule next year, moving toward closer alignment with European football’s calendar structure.
As part of that changeover, MLS will run an abbreviated season in early 2027, covering the period from February through to May before the full 2027-28 season gets underway.
The 2027-28 campaign is expected to kick off in mid- to late July, marking a significant structural shift for the league and its clubs.
Meanwhile, the United Soccer League is planning to launch USL Premier in 2028, which could eventually play a role in any future conversations around a linked promotion and relegation structure.
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