MLS Names LAFC Co-Owner Larry Berg as Next Commissioner, Replacing Don Garber

Major League Soccer announced Monday that Larry Berg, co-owner of Los Angeles FC, will become the league's next commissioner, succeeding Don Garber.

Berg, 60, will officially take over at the start of the new year and will be introduced Tuesday at MLS headquarters in New York, according to sportsnet.ca. Garber, 68, has run the league since 1999 and will remain commissioner through the end of the 2026 season before shifting into a chairman role, staying under contract through the end of 2027, according to CNBC.

Berg has to give up his ownership stake in LAFC to take the job, the league confirmed to CNBC. LAFC is one of MLS's flagship clubs, and Berg helped build it from scratch into a Supporters' Shield winner in 2019 and an MLS Cup champion in 2022.

Before soccer, Berg spent three decades as a senior partner at Apollo Global Management, according to CNBC. He's also held ownership stakes in Serie A's AS Roma and Wales' Swansea City AFC, according to sportsnet.ca.

Garber's record speaks for itself. He took over a league that was reportedly on the verge of folding by 2001, according to sportsnet.ca. He grew it from 12 to 30 clubs, most recently adding San Diego FC in 2025, and oversaw construction of 26 soccer-specific stadiums, according to AP News and CNBC. He also launched Soccer United Marketing and built out the academy system that develops American players.

The financial results back up the growth story. CNBC's Official Global Soccer Team Valuations 2026 lists seven MLS franchises among the top 30 most valuable clubs in the world, led by Inter Miami at $1.6 billion. Sportsnet.ca reports five MLS clubs, Inter Miami, LAFC, the LA Galaxy, Atlanta United and NYCFC, are each valued north of $1 billion by Forbes.

Garber isn't shy about crediting Berg specifically. "Having worked closely with Larry over the past decade, I've seen firsthand the qualities that make him an exceptional leader, and I have complete confidence he is the right person to serve as Major League Soccer's next Commissioner," Garber said in a statement carried by CNBC. Berg, for his part, said in a statement: "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 walks into two fights immediately. The current collective bargaining agreement with MLS players expires at the end of January 2028, according to CNBC, meaning labor negotiations will be one of his first major tests. He'll also oversee the league's next media rights negotiation once the current deal with Apple runs out after the 2028-2029 season.

There's also a calendar overhaul in motion. Sportsnet.ca reports MLS is shifting from its traditional spring-to-fall season to a summer-to-spring schedule, aligning the league more closely with the international soccer calendar. That's a significant operational change for a 30-team league, and Berg will be the one implementing it.

The timing reflects MLS's effort to capitalize on momentum from the 2026 World Cup, which the U.S. is co-hosting, according to sportsnet.ca. A new commissioner stepping in during that window puts Berg's early performance under a brighter spotlight than Garber ever faced in his first year.

The league's owners picked an insider with three decades of private equity experience and a championship-winning ownership record, rather than reaching outside for a fresh face. Whether that continuity bet pays off depends on how Berg handles a labor negotiation and a media rights deal that will shape MLS's finances well into the 2030s.

Berg's introduction is scheduled for Tuesday at MLS headquarters in New York, where more detail on his plans is expected to follow.