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9 September 2026

When the United States staged the FIFA World Cup in 1994, it also paved the way for the launch of Major League Soccer.

Now, more than 30 years on, the first indications have emerged of what may become another landmark moment for MLS and football across North America.

The league said on Wednesday that it had broken fresh records for both incoming and outgoing transfer business. Altogether, MLS clubs spent more than $370 million on new players, while bringing in $218 million in transfer income.

That huge outlay included the signings of several high-profile names, including Antoine Griezmann, Robert Lewandowski, Breel Embolo and Casemiro. In doing so, eight MLS sides completed the biggest signings in their club histories.

In addition, 20 players signed by MLS clubs this summer featured at the 2026 World Cup, among them Scotland’s Angus Gunn, Canada’s Luc de Fougerolles and DR Congo’s Cédric Bakambu.

At the other end, 19-year-old Real Salt Lake talent Zavier Gozo brought in the second-highest summer transfer fee ever received for an MLS Homegrown Player when he moved to Crystal Palace for $15 million.

Importantly for the league’s long-term development, this is the second year in a row that MLS has gone beyond $200 million in total transfer revenue.

So, although MLS clubs clearly benefited from the momentum generated by the summer’s World Cup, it is fair to say the league now has a deep pool of talent, both experienced and emerging, across its teams.