The MLS is not updated: no breaks due to FIFA dates, no fourth designated player and no more than 30 teams… for now

The MLS commissioner spoke at a press conference about the league a few hours before the final between Columbus Crew and LAFC. And, in that conference, he left interesting things that can directly and indirectly affect the future of the competition.

One of the most important things he talked about was the rules in the templates. To start, next season there will not be a fourth ‘designated player’, the type of footballer who does not fall into the squad’s salary rules. This situation, in the short term, was important for the arrival of Luis Suárez to Inter Miami, for example.

Don Garber also confirmed that, for the moment, there will be no changes to the squad rulesbut he believes that “in the coming years we will begin to see some simplification of those rules”, something that many demand to continue the growth of the tournament.

“The rules are set to manage strategic investment that can capture attention locally and globally. There is a strategic plan so that in the future we do not need so many rules“, hill.

More than 30 teams?

At the moment, there are no plans for more teams, more franchises and more cities in MLS. Of course, he does not rule it out, because it is something that is studied every year and he knows that in order to continue growing, expansion or changes may be interesting.

Breaks on FIFA and Copa América date

The hectic schedule in MLS due to the Leagues Cup, Open Cup and Concacaf Champions League has been a problem last season and it will be the next one due to the Gold Cup and the Copa América. Many games and few rest dates. Even during the FIFA break, he continued to play in the MLS, something that brought criticism from people like Gerardo Martino.

Don Garber also spoke about this: “We cannot afford it (the breaks in the 2024 season), we have to manage that. The 2026 World Cup is something different, I can’t imagine playing while the World Cup is being played“, he concluded, before commenting that it is possible to play an opening tournament and a closing tournament, just as it is done in Mexico.

In this case, the Open Cup could undergo changes by the MLS teams: “There could be changes to our involvement in the future.” This is something that many do not like, since in this tournament everyone can play against everyone in the United States.

Marcos Durán is an international football writer for Relevo. Born in Mar del Plata, Argentina and raised in Alhaurín de la Torre, he studied Journalism at the University of Málaga. As

professional, his first steps were in the mixed zone of La Rosaleda before starting the race. He went on Erasmus to Rome from where he began to collaborate with Cadena Cope. After completing a Master’s Degree in Multimedia Journalism in Granada, he requested an internship at Diario AS, where he was part of the AS América team. He witnessed and covered the 2021 Copa América from Brazil for AS and Cadena Ser, seeing in situ how Messi lifted his first trophy as captain of Argentina. He was at Maracaná, Wembley and Lusail.


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