Larry Berg named next Major League Soccer commissioner

Larry Berg has been appointed as the new commissioner of Major League Soccer (MLS), according to an undisclosed source. Berg will replace Don Garber at the helm in the coming year. Garber, who has been in the role since 1999, will transition to an emeritus position at the conclusion of his contract in 2027.

Berg currently serves as a co-owner of MLS's Los Angeles Football Club (LAFC). However, he will need to divest his stake in the team upon assuming his new position, as per the source. Prior to joining LAFC, Berg served as a senior partner at Apollo Global Management, a multinational investment firm.

Garber, aged 68, has overseen the transformation of MLS from a struggling startup into a multibillion-dollar sports league. In CNBC's Official Global Soccer Team Valuations 2026, MLS franchises ranked among the top 30 most valuable teams globally, with Inter Miami leading the pack at $1.6 billion.

Berg faces several significant challenges as he assumes his new role. He will need to negotiate a new collective bargaining agreement with MLS players, with the existing agreement set to expire at the end of January 2028. Additionally, Berg will oversee the league's media rights negotiations following the termination of its deal with Apple at the end of the 2028-2029 season. As he embarks on this new chapter, Berg must also navigate the complexities of selling his ownership stake in LAFC.