History UsefulNotes / MajorLeagueSoccer

* ''Houston Dynamo'' - An expansion team in 2006[[note]]in the same way that the Baltimore Ravens are an "expansion team" in the NFL. They were the ''original'' San Jose Earthquakes, having moved to Houston due to stadium issues.[[/note]]. Originally named "Houston 1836" to reflect the year Houston was founded and to have a European-style name along the lines of Schalke 04. However, the name displeased the Hispanic community in Houston, who related 1836 with the war for Texas independence. "Dynamo" comes from Houston's energy industry and many former Soviet Union-era clubs such as Dynamo Moscow. They immediately won two MLS Cups. Also one of two MLS teams with a DistaffCounterpart in the National Women's Soccer League, namely the Houston Dash.[[note]]Several other NWSL teams are in MLS markets, but do not have formal relationships with an MLS team.[[/note]]

* ''Portland Timbers'' - Joined the league in 2011, replacing the United Soccer Leagues team of the same name. Has found quite a fanbase (even if the closest they got to a title was the semifinals in 2013) and hosted the 2014 All-Star game. The other MLS team with an official DistaffCounterpart, namely Portland Thorns FC.

* ''Sporting Kansas City'' - formerly the Kansas City Wizards, they adapted the "Sporting" name in association with European Club names. Winners of two MLS Cups (2000 and 2013), plus the Supporters' Shield in 2000 and the US Open Cup in 2004 and 2012. Most notable for defeating Manchester United in a friendly on July 25, 2010. Their home stadium is in Kansas City, Kansas, whereas most franchises in the Kansas City area play their home games in Kansas City, Missouri (which is the larger of the two).

Major League Soccer (MLS) is the United States' and Canada's top-tier professional [[TheBeautifulGame soccer]] league. Its predecessor league, the North American Soccer League (NASL) went out of business in 1984. MLS was founded in 1993 as a condition FIFA imposed on the US Soccer Federation in exchange for allowing the United States to host the 1994 [[TheWorldCup World Cup]]. MLS operates more like the other North American professional sports leagues. Unlike almost every other Association Football league in the world, it currently does not have a relegation/promotion system.[[note]]Another league that has fixed membership is the A-League of Australia, also with a team from New Zealand.[[/note]] Each of the teams in the league are franchises granted by the league, as opposed to being completely individual entities like their European counterparts.[[note]]The A-League operates the same way.[[/note]] The league has been criticized by its European counterparts and FIFA for its spring-to-fall scheduling, conflicting with the FIFA calendar and major summer tournaments, especially the World Cup.[[note]]In MLS' defense, it only has to compete against UsefulNotes/MajorLeagueBaseball and {{NASCAR}} in the U.S. and the [[UsefulNotes/CanadianFootballLeague CFL]] in Canada for viewership during the summer, while going to a FIFA-compatible fall-to-spring calendar would mean MLS would not only have to compete against the top European leagues, it would also have to compete against the [[UsefulNotes/NationalFootballLeague NFL]], [[UsefulNotes/NationalBasketballAssociation NBA]], [[UsefulNotes/NationalHockeyLeague NHL]] and NCAA college football and basketball for viewership. Also, playing during the winter would be less than ideal for MLS clubs in Canada and the Northern US.[[/note]] MLS also relies on an American-style playoff format to determine its championship.[[note]]As does the A-League; Australian sports developed playoff systems on their own. Liga MX, the top league in Mexico, also determines its champions via playoffs, although it operates on a promotion/relegation system.[[/note]] It currently has 20 teams, 17 in the U.S. and three in Canada. The league will expand to at least 22 teams in 2017, with two teams guaranteed (Atlanta and Los Angeles) and and a third (Miami) pending approval of stadium financing.

* ''New York Red Bulls'' - Originally the New York[=/=]New Jersey [=MetroStars=] (later just the [=MetroStars=], with no region identifier), they are the only MLS team to have their sponsor, [[JustifiedTrope who also own the franchise]], included in the team name. Current team of Tim Cahill, and also the most recent club of Thierry Henry, who retired after the 2014 season. Also notable for having a severe case of EveryYearTheyFizzleOut (like cans of Red Bull) when they're in good years, especially as of late. Typically, the Red Bulls will field one of the most skilled and talented squads in the league, but fail to make the cup.
* ''Orlando City SC'' - The other new club for 2015, and the first club based in Florida since the contraction of the Tampa Bay Mutiny and Miami Fusion FC after the 2001 season. Their ascent comes at the tail end of a whirlwind grassroots rise as a third-division minor league team. The team will play in the remodeled Citrus Bowl while their permanent home stadium is constructed near the Amway Center, which is expected to open by their second season.

Major League Soccer (MLS) is the United States' and Canada's top-tier professional [[TheBeautifulGame soccer]] league. Its predecessor league, the North American Soccer League (NASL) went out of business in 1984. MLS was founded in 1993 as a condition FIFA imposed on the US Soccer Federation in exchange for allowing the United States to host the 1994 [[TheWorldCup World Cup]]. MLS operates more like the other North American professional sports leagues. Unlike almost every other Association Football league in the world, it currently does not have a relegation/promotion system.[[note]]Another league that has fixed membership is the A-League of Australia, also with a team from New Zealand.[[/note]] Each of the teams in the league are franchises granted by the league, as opposed to being completely individual entities like their European counterparts.[[note]]The A-League operates the same way.[[/note]] The league has been criticized by its European counterparts and FIFA for its spring-to-fall scheduling, conflicting with the FIFA calendar and major summer tournaments, especially the World Cup.[[note]]In MLS' defense, it only has to compete against UsefulNotes/MajorLeagueBaseball and {{NASCAR}} in the U.S. and the [[UsefulNotes/CanadianFootballLeague CFL]] in Canada for viewership during the summer, while going to a FIFA-compatible fall-to-spring calendar would mean MLS would not only have to compete against the top European leagues, it would also have to compete against the [[UsefulNotes/NationalFootballLeague NFL]], [[UsefulNotes/NationalBasketballAssociation NBA]], [[UsefulNotes/NationalHockeyLeague NHL]] and NCAA college football and basketball for viewership. Also, playing during the winter would be less than ideal for MLS clubs in Canada and the Northern US.[[/note]] MLS also relies on an American-style playoff format to determine its championship.[[note]]As does the A-League; Australian sports developed playoff systems on their own. Liga MX, the top league in Mexico, also determines its champions via playoffs, although it operates on a promotion/relegation system.[[/note]] It currently has 18 teams, 15 in the U.S. and three in Canada. The league will expand to 20 teams in 2015, and to at least 22 teams in 2017, with two teams guaranteed[[note]]Atlanta and LAFC[[/note]] and and a third[[note]]Miami[[/note]] pending approval of stadium financing.

A regular MLS Season is played in a modified double round robin format, with all 19 teams playing 34 regular-season games. The standings are determined by the standard FIFA point system, with a win equal to 3 points, a draw with 1 point, and none for a loss. At the end of the regular season, the team with most points wins the Supporter's Shield trophy, and gains the number 1 seed at the playoffs.

New expansion has been a hot topic since 2003, after the storm of the early-2000s downturn passed. Some have gone well, like the Cascadia Cup (Seattle, Portland, Vancouver). Others, not so much (CD Chivas USA). Some came out of left field (Salt Lake City, Toronto) but turned out okay. Five future teams have been confirmed:
* ''New York City FC'' will enter the league in 2015. Unlike the Red Bulls or the NFL's Jets and Giants, they're trying to play in the Big Apple itself; until a stadium is built, Yankee Stadium in The Bronx will host their games. (This is not by coincidence—the [[UsefulNotes/MLBTeams New York Yankees]] own a 20% stake in the team, with [[EnglishPremierLeague Manchester City]] owning the rest.)
* ''Orlando City SC'' is also scheduled to enter the league in 2015. Their ascent comes at the tail end of a whirlwind grassroots rise as a third-division minor league team. The team will play in the remodeled Citrus Bowl while their permanent home stadium is constructed near the Amway Center, which is expected to open by their second season.

* ''Miami'' will enter the league once it can build a new stadium, which won't happen until at least 2017. That team is backed by now-retired English football icon David Beckham, his business partner Simon Fuller (creator of the ''[[Series/AmericanIdol Idol]]'' franchise), and Miami-based Bolivian telecom billionaire Marcelo Claure. Beckham exercised an option in his original MLS contract to buy an expansion team at a reduced price[[note]]The owners for NYC, Orlando, Atlanta, and Los Angeles paid between $70 million to $100 million as expansion fees while Beckham paid $25 million for the right to field a club[[/note]].

* ''New York Red Bulls'' - Originally the New York[=/=]New Jersey [=MetroStars=] (later just the [=MetroStars=], with no region identifier), they are the only MLS team to have their sponsor, [[JustifiedTrope who also own the franchise]], included in the team name. Current team of Tim Cahill, and also the most recent club of Thierry Henry, who left as a free agent after the 2014 season. Also notable for having a severe case of EveryYearTheyFizzleOut (like cans of Red Bull) when they're in good years, especially as of late. Typically, the Red Bulls will field one of the most skilled and talented squads in the league, but fail to make the cup.

* ''Toronto FC'' - The first Canadian team to join MLS, having started playing in 2007. Though their MLS career is rather undistinguished (they have never finished higher than 11th in the league), they have been more successful in the Canadian Championship (contested by Toronto FC, Montreal Impact, and Vancouver Whitecaps FC since 2008, and also by the NASL's FC Edmonton since 2011 and Ottawa Fury since 2014), winning four years in a row from 2009-2012. Current team of Júlio César, goalkeeper of the Brazilian national football team.

* ''LA Galaxy'' - Five times and current MLS Cup champions (2002, 2005, 2011, 2012, 2014), their most recent Cup broke a tie with D.C. United for most decorated team. Made big news in 2007 by signing David Beckham. Current team of Robbie Keane, and also home to Landon Donovan for his final 10 years of his career[[note]]with three short-term loan stints at European clubs in that time[[/note]].

* ''D.C. United'' - the most decorated MLS club, with 4 MLS Cups and 4 Supporters' Shields. One of the founding members of MLS, the name "United" was adapted from English club names (like Manchester United and Leeds United) and is a reflection of Washington D.C.'s status as the capital of the ''United'' States. For most of the early years of MLS, D.C. United had the only European-style name. Also was the only MLS franchise to share a home pitch with a Major League Baseball team when the Nationals played at RFK Stadium for three seasons, meaning they played on turf laid over dirt in some places for part of the year.

* ''New England Revolution'' - Perhaps the least successful of the ten charter franchises. The Revs have not won the Cup, nor have they won the shield... [[EveryYearTheyFizzleOut despite being runner-ups four times in the Cup, and second overall once]]. Their only trophies have been from the Open Cup or [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/North_American_SuperLiga international competitions]]. Sister team of the Patriots and play in Gillette Stadium.
* ''New York Red Bulls'' - Originally the New York[=/=]New Jersey [=MetroStars=] (later just the [=MetroStars=], with no region identifier), they are the only MLS team to have their sponsor, [[JustifiedTrope who also own the franchise]], included in the team name. Current team of Thierry Henry and Tim Cahill. Also notable for having a severe case of EveryYearTheyFizzleOut (like cans of Red Bull) when they're in good years, especially as of late. Typically, the Red Bulls will field one of the most skilled and talented squads in the league, but fail to make the cup.
* ''Philadelphia Union'' - another of the newer franchises in MLS, Philadelphia Union got started in 2010 and is based in the riverside suburb of Chester with a stadium having a beautiful view of the nearby Commodore Barry Bridge. A ''lot'' of their culture is related to BenjaminFranklin and UsefulNotes/TheAmericanRevolution- they have 13 stars on the crest, their name is a reference to the union of the Thirteen Colonies, they put a snake on the crest to reference Franklin's famous "Join or Die" political cartoon, their oldest and biggest supporters group is called the Sons of Ben...you get the idea.

* ''LA Galaxy'' - Four times MLS Cup champions (2002, 2005, 2011, 2012), they are the second most decorated club after D.C. United. Made big news in 2007 by signing David Beckham. Current team of Landon Donovan and Robbie Keane.

* ''Sporting Kansas City'' - formerly the Kansas City Wizards, they adapted the "Sporting" name in association with European Club names. Current holders of the MLS Cup; also won both the MLS Cup and the Supporters' Shield in 2000, as well as the US Open Cup in 2004 and 2012. Most notable for defeating Manchester United in a friendly on July 25, 2010. Their home stadium is in Kansas City, Kansas, whereas most franchises in the Kansas City area play their home games in Kansas City, Missouri (which is the larger of the two).

As in any league, rivalries exist between teams. Many arise on their own, whether based on the teams' shared history (such as the ''Atlantic Cup'' between D.C. United and the New York Red Bulls, two of the league's founding teams) or geographic proximity (such as the ''California Clásico'' between the Los Angeles Galaxy and the San Jose Earthquakes, the ''Honda SuperClasico'' between the Galaxy and CD Chivas USA, and the ''Cascadia Cup'' between the Portland Timbers, Seattle Sounders FC and Vancouver Whitecaps FC). Others were deliberately created by teams under common ownership (such as the ''Lamar Hunt Pioneer Cup'' between the Columbus Crew and FC Dallas) or other unconventional premises (Columbus Crew and Toronto FC, whose ''Trillium Cup'' competition began with a bet between the two cities' mayors, and is named for the official flower of both Ohio and Ontario).

* ''New York Red Bulls'' - Originally the New York[=/=]New Jersey MetroStars (then simply the MetroStars), they are the only MLS team to have their sponsor ([[JustifiedTrope who also own the franchise]]) included in the team name. Current team of Thierry Henry and Tim Cahill. Also notable for having a severe case of EveryYearTheyFizzleOut (like cans of Red Bull) when they're in good years, especially as of late. Typically, the Red Bulls will field one of the most skilled and talented squads in the league, but fail to make the cup.

In all but a few cases, teams play at 18,000 to 30,000 seat soccer-specific stadiums in suburban areas (although some stadiums are built in the city proper) which are much cheaper to build, can also be used to host rock concerts and high school and college football games, and look much better packed with fans than in the early years of the league, when the majority of teams played in NFL stadiums which are downright cavernous for soccer. The New England Revolution and D.C. United still play in that type of venue, along with Seattle Sounders FC; in the latter case ticket demand is enough to justify it.[[note]] The stadium choices for the Revolution and the Sounders were not coincidental—both are owned either in full or part by NFL team owners. The Revolution are owned by Robert Kraft, owner of the New England Patriots; the Sounders are part-owned by Paul Allen, co-founder of Microsoft and owner of the Seattle Seahawks.[[/note]] The Vancouver Whitecaps FC play in a current CFL stadium, and are the only current team to play in a retractable roof stadium. The San Jose Earthquakes play most of their games in a former college football stadium[[note]] (the stadium in question is on the campus of Santa Clara University, a school that stopped playing football after the 1992 season)[[/note]], but that team will move into its own new stadium in 2015.

* ''New York Red Bulls'' - the only MLS team to have their sponsor included in the team name. Current team of Thierry Henry and Tim Cahill. Also notable for having a severe case of EveryYearTheyFizzleOut (like cans of Red Bull) when they're in good years, especially as of late. Typically, the Red Bulls will field one of the most skilled and talented squads in the league, but fail to make the cup.

* ''San Jose Earthquakes'' - a 2008 expansion team that replaced the original San Jose Earthquakes team that moved to Houston after the 2005 season. Officially a continuation of the original team in terms of history and records, they are the 2001 and 2003 MLS Cup Champions, as well as the 2005 and 2012 MLS Supporters' Shield Champions. They played some of their better-drawing games in Oakland their first few years back due to the stadium issues that were still present. However, they will soon have a new stadium thanks to the vote going their way in a recent voter referendum.

* ''Vancouver Whitecaps FC'' - Began MLS play in 2011, having also played in the USL with Seattle and Portland; currently the only MLS franchise with a retractable roof venue. The second Canadian team to join the league after Toronto FC. One of the club's owners is NBA All-Star and South African-born, British Columbia-raised Steve Nash. They have managed the unenviable feat of being the runners-up in five consecutive Canadian Championships (to Toronto FC from 2009-2012 and Montreal Impact in 2013).

* ''Los Angeles FC'' has been announced as an expansion team separate from CD Chivas USA, which folded after the 2014 season. The ownership group is led by Harry Nguyen and includes names like Vincent Tan, Magic Johnson and Mia Hamm. The new LA team will begin play alongside Atlanta in 2017. The current plan is for a new stadium to be built specifically for the team -- Chivas USA shared a stadium with the LA Galaxy.
* ''Miami'' will enter the league once it can build a new stadium, which won't happen until at least 2017. That team is backed by now-retired English football icon David Beckham, his business partner Simon Fuller (creator of the ''[[Series/AmericanIdol Idol]]'' franchise), and Miami-based Bolivian telecom billionaire Marcelo Claure. Beckham exercised an option in his original MLS contract to buy an expansion team at a reduced price.

Major League Soccer (MLS) is the United States' and Canada's top-tier professional [[TheBeautifulGame soccer]] league. Its predecessor league, the North American Soccer League (NASL) went out of business in 1984. MLS was founded in 1993 as a condition FIFA imposed on the US Soccer Federation in exchange for allowing the United States to host the 1994 [[TheWorldCup World Cup]]. MLS operates more like the other North American professional sports leagues. Unlike almost every other Association Football league in the world, it currently does not have a relegation/promotion system.[[note]]Another league that has fixed membership is the A-League of Australia, also with a team from New Zealand.[[/note]] Each of the teams in the league are franchises granted by the league, as opposed to being completely individual entities like their European counterparts.[[note]]The A-League operates the same way.[[/note]] The league has been criticized by its European counterparts and FIFA for its spring-to-fall scheduling, conflicting with the FIFA calendar and major summer tournaments, especially the World Cup.[[note]]In MLS' defense, it only has to compete against UsefulNotes/MajorLeagueBaseball and {{NASCAR}} in the U.S. and the [[UsefulNotes/CanadianFootballLeague CFL]] in Canada for viewership during the summer, while going to a FIFA-compatible calendar would mean MLS would not only have to compete against the top European leagues, it would also have to compete against the [[UsefulNotes/NationalFootballLeague NFL]], [[UsefulNotes/NationalBasketballAssociation NBA]], [[UsefulNotes/NationalHockeyLeague NHL]] and NCAA college football and basketball. Also, playing during the winter would be less than ideal for MLS clubs in Canada and the Northern US.[[/note]] MLS also relies on an American-style playoff format to determine its championship.[[note]]As does the A-League; Australian sports developed playoff systems on their own. Liga MX, the top league in Mexico, also determines its champions via playoffs, although it operates on a promotion/relegation system.[[/note]] It currently has 18 teams, 15 in the U.S. and three in Canada. The league will expand to 20 teams in 2015, and to at least 22 teams in 2017, with two teams guaranteed[[note]]Atlanta and Los Angeles 2[[/note]] and and a third[[note]]Miami[[/note]] pending approval of stadium financing.

* ''Columbus Crew SC'' - Notable for celebrating the working-class side of their fanbase. Won the MLS Cup in 2008, as well as three Supporters' Shields. The team is credited with building the first "soccer-specific" stadium in the league, setting the model for subsequent non-shared stadiums in the league.

* ''Orlando City SC'' is also scheduled to enter the league in 2015. Their ascent comes at the tail end of a whirlwind grassroots rise as a third-division minor league team.

* ''Los Angeles FC'' has been announced as an expansion team separate from CD Chivas USA, which folded after the 2014 season. The ownership group is led by Harry Nguyen and includes Kevin Tan, who has had a rather colorful history with Cardiff City in the Premier League. The new LA team will begin play alongside Atlanta in 2017. The current plan is for a new stadium to be built specifically for the team -- Chivas USA shared a stadium with the LA Galaxy.

* ''Los Angeles'' (or [=LA2=]) has been announced as an expansion team separate from CD Chivas USA, which folded after the 2014 season. The ownership group is led by Harry Nguyen and includes Kevin Tan, who has had a rather colorful history with Cardiff City in the Premier League. The new LA team will begin play alongside Atlanta in 2017. Stadium plans are unknown at the moment -- Chivas shared a stadium with the LA Galaxy but the new ownership group is reportedly looking for a different location.

Major League Soccer (MLS) is the United States' and Canada's top-tier professional [[TheBeautifulGame soccer]] league. Its predecessor league, the North American Soccer League (NASL) went out of business in 1984. MLS was founded in 1993 as a condition FIFA imposed on the US Soccer Federation in exchange for allowing the United States to host the 1994 [[TheWorldCup World Cup]]. MLS operates more like the other North American professional sports leagues. Unlike almost every other Association Football league in the world, it currently does not have a relegation/promotion system.[[note]]Another league that has fixed membership is the A-League of Australia, also with a team from New Zealand.[[/note]] Each of the teams in the league are franchises granted by the league, as opposed to being completely individual entities like their European counterparts.[[note]]The A-League operates the same way.[[/note]] The league has been criticized by its European counterparts and FIFA for its spring-to-fall scheduling, conflicting with the FIFA calendar and major summer tournaments, especially the World Cup.[[note]]In MLS' defense, it only has to compete against UsefulNotes/MajorLeagueBaseball and {{NASCAR}} in the U.S. and the [[UsefulNotes/CanadianFootballLeague CFL]] in Canada for viewership during the summer, while going to a FIFA-compatible calendar would mean MLS would not only have to compete against the top European leagues, it would also have to compete against the [[UsefulNotes/NationalFootballLeague NFL]], [[UsefulNotes/NationalBasketballAssociation NBA]], [[UsefulNotes/NationalHockeyLeague NHL]] and NCAA college football and basketball. Also, playing during the winter would be less than ideal for MLS clubs in Canada and the Northern US.[[/note]] MLS also relies on an American-style playoff format to determine its championship.[[note]]As does the A-League; Australian sports developed playoff systems on their own. Liga MX, the top league in Mexico, also determines its champions via playoffs, although it operates on a promotion/relegation system.[[/note]] It has 19 teams, 16 in the U.S. and three in Canada, with four more franchises having been commissioned and in the process of building a team.

In all but a few cases, teams play at 20,000 seat soccer-specific stadiums in suburban areas which are much cheaper to build, can also be used to host rock concerts and high school football games, and look much better packed with fans than in the early years of the league, when the majority of teams played in NFL stadiums which are downright cavernous for soccer. The New England Revolution and D.C. United still play in that type of venue, along with Seattle Sounders FC; in the latter case ticket demand is enough to justify it.[[note]] The stadium choices for the Revolution and the Sounders were not coincidental—both are owned either in full or part by NFL team owners. The Revolution are owned by Robert Kraft, owner of the New England Patriots; the Sounders are part-owned by Paul Allen, co-founder of Microsoft and owner of the Seattle Seahawks.[[/note]] The San Jose Earthquakes play most of their games in a former college football stadium[[note]] (the stadium in question is on the campus of Santa Clara University, a school that stopped playing football after the 1992 season)[[/note]], but that team will move into its own new stadium in 2015.

* ''Columbus Crew'' - Notable for celebrating the working-class side of their fanbase. Won the MLS Cup in 2008, as well as three Supporters' Shields.

* ''New England Revolution'' - Perhaps the least successful of the ten founding franchises. The Revs have not won the Cup, nor have they won the shield... [[EveryYearTheyFizzleOut despite being runner-ups four times in the Cup, and second overall once]]. Their only trophies have been from the Open Cup or [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/North_American_SuperLiga international competitions]]. Sister team of the Patriots and play in Gillette Stadium.

* ''Tampa Bay Mutiny''- The Mutiny started off as one of the hottest teams in MLS, winning the Supporters' Shield for the inaugural season. However, they ended up losing the Eastern Conference final to eventual champions D.C. United. They went into a funk over the next few years as the team traded off its stars and moved into a new stadium. They underwent a strong resurgence in 2000, but failed to make it past the quarter-finals. They followed this up with an atrocious 2001, in which they racked up ''only 14 points''[[note]]Granted, the season did get shortened thanks to 9/11.[[/note]]. This still stands as the worst season by points in league history, and it was on that note that the Mutiny folded.

* ''Los Angeles'' (or [=LA2=]) has been announced as an expansion team separate from CD Chivas USA, which folded after the 2014 season. The ownership group is led by Harry Nguyen and includes Kevin Tan, who has had a rather colorful history with Cardiff City in the Premier League. The new LA team will begin play alongside Atlanta in 2017.

* ''CD Chivas USA'' - Before the 2014 season, it was under the same ownership as its then-parent club, the Mexican team Club Deportivo Guadalajara, whose nickname is "Chivas" (Spanish for goat). It was regarded by both Guadalajara and Chivas USA fans as the B-team of CD Guadalajara, making the former the only football club in the world with a reserves team playing in another country in another league. Controversially known in the 2013 season for their push to have a team of all Mexican and Mexican-American heritage, with two dismissed non-Latino youth coaches filing a discrimination lawsuit. Shortly before the 2014 season, the team was bought by MLS. After two seasons of abysmal numbers,[[note]]Hint: they were outdrawn by half the pro minor leagues of soccer[[/note]] the league decided to fold Chivas USA, and instead sold the franchise rights to an investor group led by venture capitalist Henry Nguyen. The replacement will start play in 2017 as an expansion team, paired with Atlanta.

* ''Los Angeles'' (or [=LA2=]) has been announced as an expansion team separate from CD Chivas USA, which folded after the 2014 season. This new team will begin play alongside Atlanta in 2017.

New expansion has been a hot topic since 2003, after the storm of the early-2000s downturn passed. Some have gone well, like the Cascadia Cup (Seattle, Portland, Vancouver). Others, not so much (CD Chivas USA). Some came out of left field (Salt Lake City, Toronto) but turned out okay. Four future teams have been confirmed:

* ''Los Angeles'' (or LA2) has been announced as an expansion team separate from CD Chivas USA, which folded after the 2014 season. This new team will begin play alongside Atlanta in 2017.

Two MLS teams have gone defunct, both in the same year. Due to ownership and stadium troubles, the franchises both closed their doors after the 2001 season. The league has recovered since then, with no dying teams until 2014.

Two MLS teams have gone defunct, both in the same year. Due to ownership and stadium troubles, the franchises both closed their doors after the 2001 season.

* ''CD Chivas USA'' - Before the 2014 season, it was under the same ownership as its then-parent club, the Mexican team Club Deportivo Guadalajara, whose nickname is "Chivas" (Spanish for goat). It was regarded by both Guadalajara and Chivas USA fans as the B-team of CD Guadalajara, making the former the only football club in the world with a reserves team playing in another country in another league. Controversially known in the 2013 season for their push to have a team of all Mexican and Mexican-American heritage, with two dismissed non-Latino youth coaches filing a discrimination lawsuit. Shortly before the 2014 season, the team was bought by MLS. After two seasons of abysmal numbers,[[note]]Hint: they were outdrawn by half the pro minor leagues of soccer[[/note]] the league decided to fold Chivas USA, and instead sold the franchise rights to an investor group led by venture capitalist Henry Nguyen. The replacement will start play in 2017 as an expansion team, paired with Atlanta.

* ''Houston Dynamo'' - An expansion team in 2006[[note]]in the same way that the Baltimore Ravens are an "expansion team" in the NFL. They were the ''original'' San Jose Earthquakes, having moved to Houston due to stadium issues.[[/note]]. Originally named "Houston 1836" to reflect the year Houston was founded and to have a European-style name along the lines of Schalke 04. However, the name displeased the Hispanic community in Houston, who related 1836 with the war for Texas independence. "Dynamo" comes from Houston's energy industry and many former Soviet Union-era clubs such as Dynamo Moscow. They immediately won two MLS Cups. Also one of two MLS teams with a DistaffCounterpart in the National Women's Soccer League, namely the Houston Dash.[[note]]Several other NWSL teams are in MLS markets, but do not have formal relationships with an MLS team.[[/note]]

* ''Sporting Kansas City'' - formerly the Kansas City Wizards, they adapted the "Sporting" name in association with European Club names. Current holders of the MLS Cup; also won both the MLS Cup and the Supporters' Shield in 2000, as well as the US Open Cup in 2004 and 2012. Most notable for defeating Manchester United in a friendly on July 25, 2010. Their home stadium is in Kansas City, Kansas, whereas most franchises in the Kansas City area play their home games in Kansas City, Missouri (which is the larger of the two).

* ''Los Angeles Galaxy'' - Four times MLS Cup champions (2002, 2005, 2011, 2012), they are the second most decorated club after D.C. United. Made big news in 2007 by signing David Beckham. Current team of Landon Donovan and Robbie Keane.

* ''Seattle Sounders FC'' - Joined the league in 2009. Has had a good run in the league so far, leading the league in ticket sales each year, winning the U.S. Open Cup three years in a row and adding a fourth title in 2014, and also claiming the MLS Supporters Shield in 2014. Partially owned by comedian and game-show host Drew Carey. Current team of Clint Dempsey, captain of the U.S. national team.

* ''Atlanta'' is scheduled to enter MLS in 2017. Arthur Blank, founder of The Home Depot and owner of the [[UsefulNotes/AmericanFootball Atlanta Falcons]], will own the team, which will share the Falcons' new stadium, scheduled to replace the NFL team's current home of the Georgia Dome in 2017.

* ''New York Red Bulls'' - the only MLS team to have their sponsor included in the team name. Current team of Thierry Henry and Tim Cahill. Also notable for having a severe case of EveryYearTheyFizzleOut (like cans of Red Bull) when they're in good years, especially as of late. Typically, the Red Bulls will field one of the most skilled and talented squads in the league, but fail to make the cup. Current MLS Supporters' Shield Champions.

* ''Seattle Sounders FC'' - Joined the league in 2009. Has had a good run in the league so far, leading the league in ticket sales each year and winning the U.S. Open Cup three years in a row. Partially owned by comedian and game-show host Drew Carey. Current team of Clint Dempsey, captain of the U.S. national team.

Major League Soccer (MLS) is the United States' and Canada's top-tier professional [[TheBeautifulGame soccer]] league. Its predecessor league, the North American Soccer League (NASL) went out of business in 1984. MLS was founded in 1993 as a condition FIFA imposed on the US Soccer Federation in exchange for allowing the United States to host the 1994 [[TheWorldCup World Cup]]. MLS operates more like the other North American professional sports leagues. Unlike almost every other Association Football league in the world, it currently does not have a relegation/promotion system.[[note]]Another league that has fixed membership is the A-League of Australia, also with a team from New Zealand.[[/note]] Each of the teams in the league are franchises granted by the league, as opposed to being completely individual entities like their European counterparts.[[note]]The A-League operates the same way.[[/note]] The league has been criticized by its European counterparts and FIFA for its spring-to-fall scheduling, conflicting with the FIFA calendar and major summer tournaments, especially the World Cup.[[note]]In MLS' defense, it only has to compete against UsefulNotes/MajorLeagueBaseball and {{NASCAR}} in the U.S. and the [[UsefulNotes/CanadianFootball League CFL]] in Canada for viewership during the summer, while going to a FIFA-compatible calendar would mean MLS would not only have to compete against the top European leagues, it would also have to compete against the [[UsefulNotes/NationalFootballLeague NFL]], [[UsefulNotes/NationalBasketballAssociation NBA]], [[UsefulNotes/NationalHockeyLeague NHL]] and NCAA college football and basketball. Also, playing during the winter would be less than ideal for MLS clubs in Canada and the Northern US.[[/note]] MLS also relies on an American-style playoff format to determine its championship.[[note]]As does the A-League; Australian sports developed playoff systems on their own. Liga MX, the top league in Mexico, also determines its champions via playoffs, although it operates on a promotion/relegation system.[[/note]] It has 19 teams, 16 in the U.S. and three in Canada, with four more franchises having been commissioned and in the process of building a team.

Major League Soccer (MLS) is the United States' and Canada's top-tier professional [[TheBeautifulGame soccer]] league. Its predecessor league, the North American Soccer League (NASL) went out of business in 1984. MLS was founded in 1993 as a condition FIFA imposed on the US Soccer Federation in exchange for allowing the United States to host the 1994 [[TheWorldCup World Cup]]. MLS operates more like the other North American professional sports leagues. Unlike almost every other Association Football league in the world, it currently does not have a relegation/promotion system.[[note]]Another league that has fixed membership is the A-League of Australia, also with a team from New Zealand.[[/note]] Each of the teams in the league are franchises granted by the league, as opposed to being completely individual entities like their European counterparts.[[note]]The A-League operates the same way.[[/note]] The league has been criticized by its European counterparts and FIFA for its spring-to-fall scheduling, conflicting with the FIFA calendar and major summer tournaments, especially the World Cup.[[note]]In MLS' defense, it only has to compete against UsefulNotes/MajorLeagueBaseball and {{NASCAR}} for viewership with a spring-to-fall calendar, while going to a FIFA-friendly calendar would mean MLS would not only have to compete against the top European leagues, it would also have to compete against the [[UsefulNotes/NationalFootballLeague NFL]], [[UsefulNotes/NationalBasketballAssociation NBA]], [[UsefulNotes/NationalHockeyLeague NHL]] and NCAA college football and basketball. Also, playing during the winter would be less-than-ideal for MLS clubs in Canada and the Northern US; however, the Pacific Northwest (Vancouver, Seattle, and Portland) usually has a mild winter.[[/note]] MLS also relies on an American-style playoff format to determine its championship.[[note]]As does the A-League; Australian sports developed playoff systems on their own. Liga MX, the top league in Mexico, also determines its champions via playoffs, although it operates on a promotion/relegation system.[[/note]] It has 19 teams, 16 in the U.S. and three in Canada, with four more franchises having been commissioned and in the process of building a team.

Major League Soccer (MLS) is the United States' and Canada's top-tier professional [[TheBeautifulGame soccer]] league. Its predecessor league, the North American Soccer League (NASL) went out of business in 1984. MLS was founded in 1993 as a condition FIFA imposed on the US Soccer Federation in exchange for allowing the United States to host the 1994 [[TheWorldCup World Cup]]. MLS operates more like the other North American professional sports leagues. Unlike almost every other Association Football league in the world, it currently does not have a relegation/promotion system.[[note]]Another league that has fixed membership is the A-League of Australia, also with a team from New Zealand.[[/note]] Each of the teams in the league are franchises granted by the league, as opposed to being completely individual entities like their European counterparts.[[note]]The A-League operates the same way.[[/note]] The league has been criticized by its European counterparts for its spring-to-fall scheduling, conflicting with the FIFA calendar and major summer tournaments, particularly UsefulNotes/TheWorldCup.[[note]]In MLS' defense, it only has to compete against UsefulNotes/MajorLeagueBaseball and {{NASCAR}} for viewership with a spring-to-fall calendar, while going to a FIFA-friendly calendar would mean MLS would not only have to compete against the top European leagues, it would also have to compete against the [[UsefulNotes/NationalFootballLeague NFL]], [[UsefulNotes/NationalBasketballAssociation NBA]], [[UsefulNotes/NationalHockeyLeague NHL]] and NCAA college football and basketball.[[/note]] MLS also relies on an American-style playoff format to determine its championship.[[note]]As does the A-League; Australian sports developed playoff systems on their own. Liga MX, the top league in Mexico, also determines its champions via playoffs, although it operates on a promotion/relegation system.[[/note]] It has 19 teams, 16 in the U.S. and three in Canada, with four more franchises having been commissioned and in the process of building a team.

Major League Soccer (MLS) is the United States' and Canada's top-tier professional [[TheBeautifulGame soccer]] league. Its predecessor league, the North American Soccer League (NASL) went out of business in 1984. MLS was founded in 1993 as a condition FIFA imposed on the US Soccer Federation in exchange for allowing the United States to host the 1994 [[TheWorldCup World Cup]]. MLS operates more like the other North American professional sports leagues. Unlike almost every other Association Football league in the world, it currently does not have a relegation/promotion system.[[note]]Another league that has fixed membership is the A-League of Australia, also with a team from New Zealand.[[/note]] Each of the teams in the league are franchises granted by the league, as opposed to being completely individual entities like their European counterparts.[[note]]The A-League operates the same way.[[/note]] MLS also relies on an American-style playoff format to determine its championship.[[note]]As does the A-League; Australian sports developed playoff systems on their own. Liga MX, the top league in Mexico, also determines its champions via playoffs, although it operates on a promotion/relegation system.[[/note]] It has 19 teams, 16 in the U.S. and three in Canada, with four more franchises having been commissioned and in the process of building a team.

* ''CD Chivas USA'' - Before the 2014 season, it was under the same ownership as its then-parent club, the Mexican team Club Deportivo Guadalajara, whose nickname is "Chivas" (Spanish for goat). It was regarded by both Guadalajara and Chivas USA fans as the B-team of CD Guadalajara, making the former the only football club in the world with a reserves team playing in another country in another league. Controversially known in the 2013 season for their push to have a team of all Mexican and Mexican-American heritage, with two dismissed non-Latino youth coaches filing a discrimination lawsuit. Shortly before the 2014 season, the team was bought by MLS, which plans to sell the team to new owners who will rebrand it before the 2015 season.