MLS unveils new global headquarters at 2 Penn Plaza in Manhattan | OneFootball

By Jonathan Sigal

Major League Soccer has a new home in the heart of New York City.

MLS recently relocated its global headquarters to 2 Penn Plaza, moving from the Bryant Park neighborhood to a stone’s throw away from Madison Square Garden.

The 126,000-square-foot, two-floor office space establishes a central hub for league operations in Manhattan proper, marking a significant milestone in the league’s continued growth and evolution. 

“When I walk into these offices, I'm blown away,” United States, MLS and Premier League goalkeeping great Tim Howard told MLSsoccer.com. “The reason I'm blown away is that I started in MLS 1.0. I watched the first season in 1996, when I was a junior in high school, and it was MetroStars vs. Columbus Crew. And then in 1998, I was drafted by the MetroStars. 

“So I've seen so much of the growth. I've seen MLS when it didn't have anything, and now I see a new dawn. This building was a figment of our imagination 30 years ago. Stadiums, supporters’ groups and ownership groups at this level were a figment of our imagination. We heard it was going to happen. But the fact that I can walk in here now and think this is one of the greatest offices I’ve ever seen, it's pretty impressive.”

Soccer-centric space

Designed by TPG Architecture, the space draws inspiration from soccer itself. From a tunnel-inspired ‘player arrival’ entry to a central collaboration hub known as ‘Midfield,’ the headquarters is designed to mirror the matchday experience and foster teamwork.

The facility features more than 80 meeting and collaboration spaces. It also serves as the home of MLS’s Matchday Center Operations Hub, a centralized command center that monitors and supports all league matches in real time.

Meanwhile, integrated digital signage throughout the office delivers live match data and ensures the game remains ever-present for employees, partners and visitors.

“There's a wow factor when you walk in,” said MLS great and Apple TV match analyst Taylor Twellman. “I said this to [MLS Commissioner] Don [Garber], that it fits where the league is. It symbolizes where we came from, but also where we want to go.”

Next frontier

Throughout the space, MLS’s identity and history are brought to life by a blend of cutting-edge digital displays and curated memorabilia. Every club across the league is represented, reinforcing the ‘One League, All Clubs’ ethos, while immersive installations celebrate MLS’s pillars of club, country and community.

Additional design elements draw deeply from soccer itself, from lighting inspired by the league’s original match ball to architectural forms influenced by pitch geometry and the MLS Cup trophy.

“It's beautiful and is a representation of where the league has come,” said MLS great and current FOX Soccer analyst Stuart Holden. “You still have the history, but it's also the next frontier of MLS. 

“When you walk in, it feels like a big-time space. I love all the little locker-room vibes, the meeting rooms and the nods to league history. You can still see where the league has come from, but it's also cool to walk in and feel like this is big-time. For a guy who's been here from the beginning, it feels pretty special to see it now.”

The new MLS office space opens just before the 2026 FIFA World Cup arrives in North America, and ahead of the summer-to-spring season format change beginning in the summer of 2027.

It also symbolizes the league's desire to keep growing, to not rest on the laurels of how much MLS has grown.

“You can't set a standard and then stagnate,” said Howard. “You always have to keep pushing, always have to keep going. 

“To the Commissioner's credit and to the owners and players in this league, to their credit, they have not rested on the greatness that has already happened. They're looking to what's next.”