MLS Season Preview: Messi, Son and a league on the brink of change | OneFootball

Major League Soccer kicks off its 31st season this weekend, and the spotlight could hardly be stronger with the World Cup heading to North America in the summer of 2026.

Lionel Messi‘s team Inter Miami begin the new season as favourites to defend their title, but they are not expected to have an easy journey.

At the heart of it all is Messi. The eight-time Ballon d’Or winner leads Inter Miami into the new season as defending champions after a sensational 2025 MLS Cup success. Messi’s 35 goals in 34 league matches last season were key to Miami winning their first title, which also lifted the league’s global profile to unprecedented heights.

Just behind them in the betting odds are Los Angeles FC and their figurehead, the South Korean superstar Heung-min Son. The Messi v Son narrative has dominated the build-up to opening weekend, aided by the fact that they start the season playing against each other at a sold-out LA Memorial Coliseum.

Other teams to watch include the Vancouver Whitecaps, who just fell short in last season’s final but proved they can mix it with the best sides out there. The experience and intelligence of German legend Thomas Muller elevated the Canadian side when he signed for the run-in. Now their fans will get to see the impact he can make in a full campaign.

Away from the action the 2026 season will be the last one played in the spring-to-autumn before it aligns with the European season schedule next year.  A shortened 14-game transitional season is planned for early next year to bridge the gap.

There will also be a significant mid-season pause from late May to mid-July to accommodate the World Cup, with 11 host cities featuring across the United States. Training facilities will be repurposed for international squads, and the MLS will temporarily step aside as the international  game takes centre stage.

When the league resumes in mid-July, the run-in towards Decision Day on November 7 promises high drama. Miami are chasing history, aiming to become just the third side to win back-to-back MLS Cups. LAFC want to reclaim the throne they last held in 2022. Vancouver are determined to turn last year’s heartbreak into silverware.

Thirty years after its founding, the MLS seems to be stronger and more respected as a league than ever before.