​As the 2026 FIFA World Cup draws to a close, Major League Soccer is leveraging the global spectacle to accelerate its future, launching what the league describes as the largest, most coordinated marketing push in its 33-year history. The campaign adopts a bold tagline—“Thanks World, We’ll Take It From Here”—and leans into the star power of its owners and marquee players, including Inter Miami’s Lionel Messi, LAFC’s Son Heung-min, Inter Miami owner David Beckham, Austin FC owner Matthew McConaughey, LAFC owner Magic Johnson, and Philadelphia Union owner Kevin Durant.
Radhika Duggal, MLS’s chief marketing officer, told The Hollywood Reporter that the FIFA World Cup is expected to usher in millions of new fans to the sport, and the league’s mission is to ensure their soccer journey continues long after the tournament ends. “This campaign is about showing people that there’s a club, a community, and a story waiting for them every week in MLS. We’re meeting fans where culture happens—through music, entertainment, and broader pop culture—and making it easy to discover the league, whether that’s on Apple TV or at their local stadium. MLS has never been more ambitious or more connected to the moments shaping culture, and we’re excited to welcome a whole new generation of fans.”
The initiative is set to launch during Fox’s broadcast of the World Cup semifinals and final and will persist across Apple TV and a broad roster of channels, including linear, streaming, digital, social, and out-of-home platforms. Elements of the campaign will be integrated across all 30 MLS clubs, with 22 of them offering “first match on us” promotions that provide free tickets. The program will also feature an Amazon Music Original cover of the Tribe Called Quest track “Can I Kick It?”—specifically created for MLS. The project is produced by DJ Premier and will incorporate fresh vocals and lyrics from rising artist Samara Cyn.
Camilo Durana, MLS’s executive vice president and chief business officer, emphasized the momentous opportunity: “At a defining moment for soccer in North America, MLS is turning global excitement into lasting engagement and connection. As the World Cup inspires new fans, our clubs and communities are ready to welcome them as the season resumes and the next chapter of their soccer journey begins with MLS.”
The league’s bet rests on the premise that a surge of World Cup interest can translate into renewed enthusiasm for MLS, particularly if fans gravitate toward stars like Messi or Son. The World Cup has already delivered robust ratings for Fox and Telemundo, delivering NFL-like numbers for games featuring the United States and drawing more than 44 million viewers for the Mexico-England clash across the networks and their platforms. The overarching hope is that this momentum will drive sustained engagement, helping MLS capture a broader, more durable audience as the season restarts.