MLS Post-Season Viewership Surges by 23%

Major League Soccer (MLS) has confirmed a commercial uplift across its post-season program, reporting a 23 per cent year-over-year increase in average viewership for its 2025 Audi MLS Cup Playoffs matches.

The surge confirms the strategic efficacy of the league’s unified global distribution model with Apple TV and the continued commercial return on investment from high-profile player signings.

The league is carrying this momentum into the final, which will see Inter Miami CF host Vancouver Whitecaps FC on Saturday, December 6.

Inter Miami’s appearance marks a major milestone for the club, driven by the presence of global stars such as Lionel Messi, whose immense commercial draw has been a catalyst for the overall viewership spike. According to league data, the regular season averaged 3.7 million gross weekly match viewers across all platforms, representing a 29 per cent increase compared to 2024.

The distribution strategy for the championship final highlights the organisation’s commitment to maximising global reach. The match will be broadcast on linear platforms FOX and FOX Deportes, alongside Canadian networks TSN and RDS.

In addition, the match will also be available free worldwide on MLS Season Pass in over 100 countries. This decision to remove the paywall for the final acts as a powerful marketing tool, converting the one-off spectacle into a massive global showcase and driving new audiences into the ecosystem ahead of future subscription drives.

The honour of hosting the final is a massive commercial victory for Inter Miami, whose rapid brand growth since joining the league in 2020 has been shaped by its celebrity ownership and high-profile playing list.

The club will seek to secure its first MLS Cup, providing a capstone event for a season that has set new benchmarks for overall league viewership, attendance, and digital engagement.

The inclusion of new global talent, such as Thomas Müller and Son Heung-Min, has been instrumental in boosting global impressions and engagements by over 180 per cent, showcasing the direct link between star power and commercial expansion.

MLS is strategically positioning itself as the most accessible major sports organisation in North America, leveraging its unified global streaming model to secure its future ahead of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, which will be hosted across North America.

The consistent growth in viewership validates the league’s long-term USD2.5 billion (AUD3.7 billion) partnership with Apple and provides a strong indicator of its expanding commercial footprint on the world football stage.

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