With less history than other major leagues, we don’t have to go time-travelling when figuring out the biggest MLS clubs.
Being a big club in MLS is a little different to the Premier League or Serie A due to the league’s unique rules over transfers and the different size of markets.
It’s not as simple as a team being richer than their league rivals. Pedigree is tied to location more than in other leagues, with players more likely to desire a move to one of the major costal cities.
Biggest Clubs in MLS Football:
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LA Galaxy
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Inter Miami
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Seattle Sounders
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Atlanta United
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New York City FC
Success plays a part, but winning silverware doesn’t ensure a club’s profile grows in the same way we would see in the Premier League.
Blockbuster signings have been the most direct way for a club to become more well-known and generate more revenue.
LA Galaxy
Erupting to become a franchise recognised around the world when they signed David Beckham, LA Galaxy have long been a popular option when it comes to MLS live betting.
Beckham was a two-time Supporters’ Shield winner and two-time MLS Cup winner with Galaxy.
Their success goes far beyond the former Manchester United midfielder, however, as LA are the most successful team in MLS history with six titles and four runners-up finishes.
From Carlo Cudicini and Steven Gerrard to Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Marco Reus, Galaxy have always been a tempting destination for the biggest names.
The lure of Los Angeles is almost impossible to ignore, while Beckham’s move made the franchise immediately appealing.
A short period at the end of the 2010s and beginning of 2020s is the only spell where Galaxy have been out of contention.
Given the salary cap model, that’s an impressive achievement and goes to show they are a huge club by MLS standards.
They have been one of the Western Conference’s best teams in the majority of seasons since Major League Soccer was founded in the 1990s.
Inter Miami
The Beckham theme continues. Inter Miami, co-owned by the free-kick maestro, are the second-largest club in MLS.
Beckham’s involvement is only a small part of Inter’s shot to prominence, though, as the club has become home to the greatest footballer of all-time, Lionel Messi.
Founded in 2018, the Herons topped the Eastern Conference in 2024 but fell to a first-round exit in the playoffs.
Messi has been joined by Sergio Busquets and Jordi Alba on South Beach, with Gerardo Martino’s stint as manager followed by Javier Mascherano.
It’s very much a Barcelona old boys roster at the moment, guaranteeing a certain amount of interest from Europe.
Never making it beyond the first round of the playoffs, this placing goes to show that club size in MLS is not correlated to on-field performance.
Inter are by far the biggest revenue generators in the US’ soccer system, sitting far clear of LAFC and Galaxy.
Much of this is down to Messi’s presence, of course, but that counts for something even if they don’t end up lifting the MLS Cup during the Argentine’s time in Florida.
Seattle Sounders
Often a favourite in 888Sport’s football odds, Seattle Sounders have enjoyed plenty of success. Seattle appeared in the MLS Cup final in four out of five years between 2016 and 2020, managing to lift the trophy on two occasions.
Iconic jerseys featuring Xbox sponsorship made the Sounders a cult favourite for Europeans following MLS.
On the field, the team have been perennial contenders since they were founded in 2009, having only missed the playoffs on one occasion.
They have already recorded eight top-two placings in the Western Conference regular season standings.
Atlanta United
The fourth-most valuable MLS franchise and third in revenue, Atlanta United were a lock for a top-five spot.
Playing their first season in 2017, the Five Stripes were immediately a threat, winning the MLS Cup in their second campaign.
Josef Martinez and Miguel Almiron shot to prominence, attracting attention from some of Europe’s top clubs.
The success wasn’t sustained, but Atlanta are a team recognised across the footballing world thanks to the heroics of Martinez and Almiron in the second half of the 2010s.
New York City FC
The fifth-most valuable MLS franchise with the eighth-highest revenue, New York City FC are known worldwide thanks to being part of the City Football Group.
Numerous all-time greats have pulled on the NYCFC jersey, including Frank Lampard and Andrea Pirlo.
David Villa was the star man in New York City’s early years when they were consistently fighting it out at the top of the Eastern Conference.
There was a wait for postseason success, however, which came when the Pigeons lifted the MLS Cup in 2021.
*Credit for the photos in this article belongs to Adobe*
