MLS expansion is always a major talking point ahead of each league season and as the 2023 campaign gets set to kick off, commissioner Don Garber hinted at two likely destinations to host the 30th franchise.
Both San Diego and Las Vegas lead the race to house an MLS franchise, Garber confirmed Wednesday at a league kickoff event in New York City. Garber previously admitted ahead of the 2022 MLS Cup Final that the league was in talks with both cities for MLS expansion and that trend has seemed to continue in the early stages of 2023.
“We do need more teams,” Garber said. “The 30th team will come at some point soon. Hopefully, we’d like to get that announced by the end of the year.
“We say we’re going to stop at 30, but [some of] the other major leagues are larger than that,” he added.” I never say never in Major League Soccer. There are many other markets that are opportunities for us. I think San Diego and Las Vegas are the most likely opportunities for 30.”
San Diego currently is home to USL Championship side San Diego Loyal, which is managed by former U.S. men’s national team and MLS star Landon Donovan. NWSL welcomed an expansion team in 2022, the San Diego Wave, which broke the league’s single-game attendance record with a sellout crowd of 32,000 witnessing a rivalry victory over Angel City FC.
Las Vegas also has a USL team of its own, the Las Vegas Lights, which has been formerly led by current LAFC head coach Steve Cherundolo and modern-day analyst Eric Wynalda. The Lights have yet to make the playoffs in any of their five league campaigns to date.
Garber also mentioned Detroit, Phoenix, Sacramento, and Tampa Bay as other expansion possibilities, with several of those areas already housing USL clubs in the modern-day American soccer pyramid.
2023 MLS expansion side St Louis CITY SC is set to begin its life in MLS on Saturday, facing off with 2021 debutants Austin FC.