American League officials are seeking to take advantage of the World Cup spotlight to create a new boom in football

Major League Soccer (MLS) will celebrate its 30th anniversary in 2026, with officials looking to use the opportunity to boost its popularity after the World Cup. The league received a major boost after the 1994 World Cup, and one club executive believes the influence of players such as David Beckham and Lionel Messi could push the league to new levels in 2026.

Larry Friedman, who founded Los Angeles FC (LAFC) - a strong rival to the LA Galaxy - believes the league will see significant growth as the sport comes into the spotlight in the United States. “You could see the World Cup in 1994, and then the options for watching the game in the United States were limited,” Friedman says. “Now if you want to watch the English Premier League, the German League or the La Liga, you can easily.”

He adds: "The competitive landscape for people's free time has become much greater, but we believe the difference now is that people will see what we offer. They will see a tournament where players from our league play, and we will highlight the clubs in the league. These players are some of the best in the world. The captain of the World Cup-winning national team plays in our league, and the captain of the South Korean national team also plays."

Friedman knows that the MLS has struggled to overcome the negative image of being a playground for retired players, but he insists that recent signings are already beginning to change that narrative. “The league has gained a reputation, and it is difficult to get rid of it,” he says. “But when a player like Gareth Bale appears whose main goal is to prepare for the World Cup, it means that he is still far from retirement.”

Next summer's World Cup will feature a record 44 active MLS players, with 103 players who have played in the league in their careers. Friedman hopes local media will show how local talent is showcased in the world's biggest competition.

The league management is planning to organize some matches during the tournament days that do not witness World Cup matches, in the hope of attracting a new audience, and among these matches is the El Tráfico match where LAFC visits LA Galaxy.

“We're fortunate that we'll capitalize on this moment,” Friedman says. “People will have watched six games a day, and then they'll feel like there's not enough games, and we'll fill that void with some of the biggest games in our league.”

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