Lionel Messi kicks off a critical season for Major League Soccer this weekend as the rapidly growing US domestic league seeks to cash in on a huge spike in interest from the upcoming World Cup."This is a massive year for Major League Soccer,

By Angelica Medina Feb 20 (Reuters) - Major League Soccer kicks off its most pivotal season yet, with marquee names, record transfers and World Cup preparation converging as North American football steps into the international spotlight ahead of this summer's tournament.

Here are five big storylines to follow as the 2026 MLS campaign gets underway.

LAFC ’s Korean icon visited his beloved former club Tottenham Hotspur in December, just days after Lionel Messi led Inter Miami CF to the 2025 MLS Cup title, and caught up with his Spurs pal Cristian ‘Cuti’ Romero, a teammate of Messi’s on the Argentina national team.

Lionel Messi cements his iconic status with an 8th Ballon d'Or and a World Cup triumph, sealing his legendary legacy. Messi is among the all-time greats.

Lionel Messi trained fully with Inter Miami on Wednesday after dealing with a muscle issue during preseason.

As the 2026 season begins, the consensus among pundits around the league is that FC Cincinnati has a roster that can compete for trophies once again. Cincinnati has made the Major League Soccer playoffs for four consecutive seasons under head coach Pat Noonan. The club has 58 wins over the last three seasons, which is a league record.

With the national championship set in Miami Gardens, all eyes are on Hard Rock Stadium. However, there’s a chance we get a rare crossover moment where the soccer world collides with college football. Since the game’s in Miami, it wouldn’t be ...

From the way Lionel Messi dances past defenders and calmly lifts the ball over the goalkeeper to score stunning goals to incredible goalkeeping saves that keep teams in the game, this goalkeeper vs at