Major League Soccer (MLS) originated in 1996 as a professional USA soccer league, created to build on the base of popularity generated during the hosting of the World Cup finals in 1994. It is hoping to survive longer than the North American Soccer League which died in 1984. This created the vacuum that MLS hopes  to fill.

This is the final of the competition deciding who wins the league. The teams involved are determined by the league position and play-off results. The results of the eight finals so far are shown below.

YEAR WINNER RUNNER-UP SCORE
1996 DC United Los Angeles Galaxy 3-2
1997 DC United Colorado Rapids 2-1
1998 Chicago Fire DC United 2-0
1999 DC United Los Angeles Galaxy 2-0
2000 Kansas City Wizards Chicago Fire 1-0
2001 San Jose Earthquakes Los Angeles Galaxy 2-1
2002 Los Angeles Galaxy New England Revolution 1-0
2003 San Jose Earthquakes Chicago Fire 4-2

The layout for the first four seasons: The seasons are split into two main parts. the regular season and the play-offs. The regular season is a league with two conferences, Eastern and Western. The top four teams in each reach the play-offs where teams are knocked out until only two remain, the Eastern Conference and Western Conference Champions who meet in the MLS Cup to determine the title winner.

The layout for the 2000 season:  Slightly different structure. Click here to see a preview of the MLS in 2000.

Change in structure in 2002 with the loss of teams: Click here to read more.

Season Reviews: 1996 Season Review

                               1997 Season Review

                               1998 Season Review

                               1999 Season Review

                               2000 Season Review

                               2001 Season Review

                               2002 Season Review

                               2003 Season Review                                

Regular season statistics: Important statistics in the five years of the MLS so far through the link here

Project-40: A youth development program designed to make USA into a world soccer power. For information click the link here.

U/17 Residency Program: The residency program for U/17 US national team players to help youngsters develop. For information click the link here.

MLS Superdraft: A list of the players and the order they were chosen in for the 

                                2001 MLS Superdraft 

                                2002 MLS Superdraft

                                2003 MLS Superdraft

                                2004 MLS Superdraft

 

Click here to go back to the Football in America page