LAFC co-owner Larry Berg has been named as the next commissioner of Major League Soccer, replacing the long-serving Don Garber in the role.
Berg, who also served as co-chair of MLS’s Sporting and Competition Committee, was officially unveiled at MLS offices on Tuesday, August 4.
He will formally begin the role on January 1, 2027, with Garber continuing to serve as commissioner through the end of 2026 before transitioning to a chairman position.
Berg beat out former FOX executive David Nathanson to become just the third commissioner in the history of the league, which began play in 1996.
The decision was made following a series of high-profile meetings in New York City, with owners from all 30 MLS clubs participating in the vote.
A two-thirds supermajority of 20 votes was required for Berg to be elected, and he secured enough support from the ownership group to claim the position.
Garber, 68, has held the commissioner role since 1999, overseeing MLS’s growth from 10 clubs to 30 and a collective valuation ballooning to $23 billion ahead of this season.
Berg arrives with an enormous workload immediately ahead of him, including overseeing the league’s calendar transition and a shortened 2027 “sprint season” designed to help accommodate the scheduling change.
MLS is also targeting a lucrative new media rights deal, with the current agreement with Apple TV set to expire in 2029, making negotiations a major priority for the incoming commissioner.
Berg is a former senior partner at Apollo Global Management, where he spent 30 years, and he joined the Josh Harris-founded investment firm 26North in 2023 after previously serving as chairman of McGraw-Hill Education.
He has also held ownership stakes in Serie A club AS Roma and Welsh club Swansea City, bringing a broad perspective on football operations at the highest levels.
Under Berg’s ownership, LAFC won the MLS Cup title in 2022, along with two Supporters’ Shields and a U.S. Open Cup trophy, building one of the league’s most successful modern clubs.
Berg will be required to divest his ownership interest in LAFC through the league’s established transition process to ensure he leads all 30 clubs with full impartiality.
LAFC managing owners Bennett Rosenthal and Brandon Beck addressed the departure in a joint statement, saying: “His strategic foresight, from the vision behind BMO Stadium to the cultivation of a championship-caliber culture, has been fundamental to our identity.”
“While his absence from our daily operations will be widely felt, the foundation we built together ensures continued success and seamless continuity for LAFC,” Rosenthal and Beck continued, adding they remain committed to the club’s future alongside Larry Freedman and John Thorrington.
Berg himself expressed strong ambition for the role, stating: “I’m honored to lead Major League Soccer into its next era.”
“We have an extraordinary opportunity to strengthen the quality of our competition, develop more world-class players, deepen our connection with supporters, and continue elevating Major League Soccer’s place in the global game,” Berg added.
Garber offered a strong endorsement of his successor, saying: “His integrity, judgment, collaborative leadership, and unwavering commitment to building LAFC and the league have made him an invaluable partner.”
Berg’s reported role in shaping MLS 3.0, a wide-ranging series of modernisation changes, gave him a strong standing with the ownership group and made him the favourite to take the position.
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