It’s rare to see executives from MLS attending games in foreign leagues. With this in mind, eagle-eyed viewers who watched last Saturday’s game between RB Leipzig and Borussia Dortmund may have spotted a familiar face in the crowd. TV cameras zoomed in on MLS Commissioner Don Garber high-fiving RB Leipzig executives during the East German team’s emphatic 4-1 victory against Dortmund. But what was Garber doing in Germany at such a random match?
Earlier that day, Garber spoke with reporters from The Athletic, The Daily Mail, AFP, and World Soccer Talk to explain the reason for his visit, as well as to answer questions about the league’s deal with Apple, his stance on foreign leagues wanting to play games in the United States, and, of course, Lionel Messi.
Garber was in Germany where he met the new CEO of Adidas, one of its major partners. Similarly, he toured the state-of-the-art RB Leipzig training academy before sitting alongside RB Leipzig General Manager Johann Plenge in the VIP section at Red Bull Arena. MLS executives accompanying Garber were MLS Chief of Club Performance Chris McGowan, MLS Deputy Commissioner Gary Stevenson, and MLS Chief Revenue Officer Carter Ladd.
LaLiga’s plans could create problems for MLS vs foreign leagues
As Major League Soccer edges closer to World Cup 2026, potential pitfalls could change club soccer worldwide. The most obvious one is the settlement between FIFA and Relevent Sports. Depending on the outcome of a Supreme Court decision in the five-year court battle between Relevent and US Soccer, FIFA could permit foreign leagues to play official games overseas.
LaLiga President Javier Tebas told Spanish newspaper Expansion, “I think it could be in the 2025-26 season, but La Liga will play official matches abroad.
“An official match in the U.S. will strengthen our position in the North American market, which is the second market for La Liga after Spain.”
If permitted, the Spanish league may be…
Source link : https://worldsoccertalk.com/news/mls-foreign-leagues-playing-usa/
Author : Christopher Harris
Publish date : 2024-04-30 13:22:30
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