How Many MLS Teams Are There for the 2025 Season? | OneFootball

Major League Soccer looks a lot different than when it was first formed back in 1996.

What started as a relatively small division with just 10 teams has grown into one of the biggest leagues in world soccer, both in size and stature.

New franchises have been continually added, with the league expanding significantly over the years—bringing not just more competition, but also greater interest, financial strength, and the ability to attract some of the sport's biggest stars.

MLS has expanded once again for the 2025 season with the arrival of San Diego FC, marking a significant milestone as the league enters its 30th season.

Lionel Messi. / Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images

The arrival of San Diego FC brings the total number of MLS teams to 30—fittingly aligning with the league’s 30th anniversary.

Below is the full list of MLS teams for the 2025 season, divided into the Eastern and Western Conferences.

Western Conference

How MLS Teams Are Divided Into Conferences

LAFC midfielder Mateusz Bogusz celebrates a goal with forwards Denis Bouanga and forward Olivier Giroud. / Kelvin Kuo-Imagn Images

MLS has been split into the Eastern and Western Conferences since its inception, with teams divided based on geography to maintain balanced competition and regional rivalries.

For the 2025 season, MLS features 15 teams in each conference, with each club playing a total of 34 regular-season matches. Teams will face every opponent within their conference twice—once at home and once away—plus six matches against teams from the opposite conference.

At the end of the regular season, the top nine teams from both conferences will advance to the playoffs, where they will compete in a knockout-style tournament for the MLS Cup.

Over the years, a few teams have shifted between the Eastern and Western Conferences, including the Houston Dynamo, who moved from the Eastern Conference to the Western Conference in 2011, and then back in 2014, as well as Sporting Kansas City.

These changes were made to help balance the number of teams in each conference, with the teams selected being those geographically closest to the respective conferences, ensuring a more even distribution.

Which Teams Have Recently Joined MLS?

St. Louis City SC is one of MLS's newest teams. / Jeff Curry-Imagn Images

Since the turn of the century, five new teams have joined MLS.

Inter Miami and Nashville SC entered the league in 2020, followed by Austin FC in 2021. Charlotte FC and St. Louis City joined in 2022 and 2023, respectively, before San Diego FC rounded out the current lineup in 2025.

The league follows a strict process for adding new franchises.

Ownership groups must meet specific criteria, outlined in a detailed business plan submitted to MLS. This includes proof of financial stability, a solid stadium proposal, and a demonstrated local fan base.

If an application shows promise, the group is invited to present its case to the MLS Board of Governors, which votes on whether to approve the bid. Once approved, the group must pay an expansion fee—$500 million in San Diego FC’s case—before officially beginning preparations to join the league.

Future Growth: Will MLS Expand Beyond 30 Teams?

MLS commissioner Don Garber. / Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images

MLS commissioner Don Garber has made it clear that the league intends to continue growing beyond its current size.

Speaking to reporters ahead of the 2024 MLS All-Star Game, Garber said: “If there's a good market for us to expand in, if that market makes sense, if we have the right owner and the right stadium plan, I think like any league, we will consider strongly expanding beyond the 30 teams that we have now."

He also mentioned Indianapolis as a potential candidate for expansion.

"We love the city and the support from the city and state leaders," Garber said. "We think there's interesting ownership dynamics, and we like the location that they're talking about for the stadium. We'll continue to work with them and see how it plays out with regards to the ownership group."

Other cities touted for future franchises include Tampa Bay, Detroit, Sacramento, and Phoenix.

Key Dates and Milestones for MLS in 2025

LA Galaxy is the reigning MLS champion. / Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

The 2025 MLS season kicks off with the MLS is Back weekend on Saturday, Feb. 22, and concludes with Decision Day on Oct. 18.

Throughout the season, there are plenty of key dates and events to mark on your calendar, including the 2025 All-Star Game, Rivalry Week, and the Leagues Cup.

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