Ahead of their 28th season kicking off this weekend, Major League Soccer has scored an important goal off the pitch with the extension of a sponsorship contract.
MLS announced on Wednesday that it had extended its sponsorship deal with uniform manufacturer Adidas through the 2030 season. CNBC reports that the deal is worth $830 million US, representing the Germany-based sportswear company’s largest-ever investment in North American soccer.
The previous deal, signed in 2017 and set to expire at the end of the 2023 season, was worth $700 million US.
The new deal means Adidas will continue to supply MLS teams with match jerseys, branded apparel, footwear, training gear and match balls.
“We have sponsorship revenue of nearly a billion dollars over a period of time, lots of ticket revenue, lots of local sponsorship, getting the largest company in the world to give us the first global digital partnership — every game on a device,” MLS Commissioner Don Garber said in an appearance on CNBC’s “Squawk Box” Wednesday. “So that’s the pitch deck and obviously when you got a partnership like this it takes that to another level.”
Adidas will also work with MLS ahead of the 2026 FIFA World Cup — to be co-hosted by Canada, the United States and Mexico — on initiatives and financial investments to grow the sport of soccer across North America.
“Looking ahead to the 2026 World Cup, we see many possibilities to build upon the strong foundation and positive momentum we have already created together. The league’s future is bright and we are proud to be part of it,” Adidas North America president Rupert Campbell told CNBC.
Adidas has worked with Major League Soccer since the league began in 1996; that year, Adidas outfitted three of the league’s 10 teams (Columbus Crew, D.C. United and Kansas City Wiz). By 2006, Adidas had become a league-wide partner and outfitted all MLS clubs.
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