MLS shifts direction as LAFC Larry Berg succeeds Don Garber

Major League Soccer announced on Monday that LAFC co‑owner Larry Berg will replace long‑time commissioner Don Garber, marking the league’s first shift from club ownership to its top executive role, with Berg slated to take over on 1 January 2027. The decision followed a closed‑door vote that gave him a two‑thirds supermajority.

Don Garber will remain commissioner through the 2026 season before transitioning to league chairman in 2027. His 27‑year tenure has overseen MLS’s expansion from ten to thirty clubs and a rise in collective valuations to $23 billion.

The appointment resulted from a closed‑door vote on Monday, where Berg defeated former Fox executive David Nathanson, the other finalist. Owners granted Berg a two‑thirds supermajority, securing his selection as the league’s next commissioner.

Both Berg and Nathanson delivered final presentations to the MLS owners before the ballot. After the presentations, the owners cast their votes, leading to Berg’s victory.

Larry Berg brings three decades of finance experience, having served as a senior partner at Apollo Global Management and joining 26North in 2023. He also previously chaired McGraw‑Hill Education.

As a co‑owner of LAFC, Berg will be required to divest his stake in the club, valued at $1.32 billion. LAFC has won two Supporters’ Shields and an MLS Championship since its 2018 debut.

Major League Soccer, founded in 1996, is appointing its third commissioner after Doug Logan and Don Garber. Over 27 years the league’s team count grew to 30, and its overall market value ballooned dramatically.

Berg’s early agenda includes overseeing the calendar flip to a shortened ‘sprint season’ in 2027, securing a new media‑rights deal after the Apple TV contract ends in 2029, and advancing stadium projects, roster reforms, and a new collective bargaining agreement to replace the current one that runs through January 2028.

The contrast between Berg’s shift from club ownership to league leadership and Garber’s move to a chairman role underscores MLS’s blend of continuity and change, signalling a new chapter for the league’s governance and growth.