Major League Soccer's board of governors has elected Larry Berg, co-managing owner of LAFC, to become the league's next commissioner, according to a source familiar with the vote. The decision was first reported by Sportico before MLS confirmed the appointment officially.
Berg will take over from Don Garber, who has led the league since 1999, with his term beginning on January 1, 2027. He becomes only the third commissioner in the 30-year history of MLS. Garber's current contract extends through the end of 2027, and the league confirmed he will shift into a chairman role once Berg steps into the commissioner's seat, a move designed to guarantee what MLS described as "a seamless leadership transition" during a pivotal period for the organization.
As part of the handover, Berg will be required to sell off his ownership stake in LAFC. The vote itself took place behind closed doors at MLS headquarters in midtown Manhattan, following separate presentations from Berg and his rival candidate, David Nathanson. Nathanson, who has a background rooted in sports media through his work with Fox, also holds investments in the Seattle Sounders, NWSL side Angel City FC, and the NHL's Seattle Kraken.
Berg's professional path runs through private equity rather than media. He currently serves as a senior advisor at 26North and previously worked as a partner at Apollo Global Management, in addition to chairing McGraw-Hill Education. His involvement with LAFC dates back to 2014, when he joined as a limited partner during the league's second attempt to establish a club in Los Angeles. He rose to co-managing owner in 2016 following an internal ownership restructuring and now co-chairs MLS's sporting and competition committee.
Since LAFC's debut in 2018 — when former USMNT boss Bob Bradley took charge of a squad fronted by ex-Mexico international Carlos Vela — the club has established itself as one of the league's flagship franchises, both competitively and operationally. The organization's achievements include sporting director John Thorington earning MLS Sporting Executive of the Year honors in 2024, and LAFC being recognized as MLS's Operations Club of the Year in 2023. Forbes valued the franchise at $1.32 billion as of May 2026, placing it among the league's most valuable teams.
Berg's track record in cultivating a thriving club within a major metropolitan market could prove valuable as MLS looks to strengthen its presence in cities such as New York and Chicago. In his new capacity, he will need to balance the interests of ownership groups across the league, including those in smaller markets that have traditionally spent less aggressively on player rosters compared to LAFC.
Garber praised his successor in a statement, saying: "Having worked closely with Larry over the past decade, I've seen firsthand the qualities that make him an exceptional leader, and I have complete confidence he is the right person to serve as Major League Soccer's next Commissioner. I look forward to working alongside Larry during this transition and supporting him as he leads MLS into its next chapter."
Berg has long expressed confidence in MLS's growth potential. Back in February 2020, he predicted the league would surpass baseball and hockey to become the third-most popular sport in the United States behind football and basketball by the decade's end, pointing to the league's developing academy structure and the general appeal of life in America as supporting factors. "I think we're already a league of choice to a certain extent," he said at the time, "but whether we can be a top five league or top three league will really come down at the end of the day to money and our ability to compete for players."
His rise from team owner to league commissioner echoes a similar path taken by Bud Selig, who owned the Milwaukee Brewers before becoming Major League Baseball's commissioner in 1992. LAFC's ownership group currently includes four primary partners: lead managing partner Bennett Rosenthal, co-managing owner Brandon Beck alongside Berg, and executive chair and owner Peter Guber.
Based on reporting from The Guardian.