Messi continuously brings glory to MLS

Lionel Messi is regarded as the main factor behind the increasing audience numbers for MLS in the 2025 season, as revealed by the organizers.

MLS released detailed statistics on viewership and engagement on Thursday morning, showing nearly a 30% growth across both television and streaming platforms during the 2025 season. This year, the league averaged 3.7 million live viewers per week across multiple channels and platforms. It is also the first time MLS organizers have publicly shared specific viewer data with the media.

A notable highlight is the average weekly audience of nearly 4 million viewers (3.7 million live views), marking a 29% increase compared to the previous season, according to the organizers' data.

This data disclosure is seen as a rare move demonstrating transparency by MLS and Apple, following criticism for not revealing audience figures since signing a $2.5 billion, 10-year partnership in 2023.

According to MLS, viewers spend about 60 minutes watching each match on Apple TV, nearly three times longer than the average viewing time on traditional TV in 2022.

Regarding stadium attendance, MLS also achieved impressive results with a total of 11.2 million attendees in the 2025 season, the second highest in league history, averaging nearly 22,000 fans per game. Nineteen clubs recorded average attendances above 20,000 per match, surpassing all other professional football leagues worldwide.

Notably, in the previous season, MLS recorded a total of 12.1 million spectators across all stadiums, a figure second only to the Premier League, widely regarded as the most exciting league globally, and over 1 million more than La Liga. Additionally, stadium attendance was remarkable: 2 matches attracted over 70,000 fans, 8 matches exceeded 60,000, and 31 matches drew crowds above 40,000.

These impressive numbers are largely attributed to the interest surrounding Lionel Messi. Although no longer at his peak, the Argentine superstar has maintained his high level of performance with Inter Miami.

In this season, Messi scored a total of 29 goals and provided 19 assists, playing a major role in helping Inter Miami finish third in the Eastern Conference standings and secure a spot in the MLS Cup playoffs. This remarkable achievement also helped El Pulga win the Golden Boot, putting him in position to become the first player to win the MVP award two years in a row.

Looking ahead, Messi and his teammates will aim to host Nashville in the first match of the Best-of-3 format first round of the MLS Cup playoffs (where the team winning two out of three matches advances).

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