Short answer: every MLS match, in every country, streams on Apple TV. Since 2026 there's no separate MLS Season Pass: matches come with the ordinary Apple TV subscription ($12.99 a month in the US). Selected games also air on Fox in the US and TSN or RDS in Canada. The non-obvious bit is the calendar: the 2026 MLS Cup on 18 December is the last one played in winter, and 2027 starts with a short "Sprint Season" before the league switches to a summer-to-spring schedule.
At a glance
Watching MLS in 2026
| Every match | Apple TV, worldwide |
| Price (US) | $12.99/month or $99.99/year |
| Season Pass | Discontinued for 2026 |
| On TV too | Fox and FS1 (US), TSN and RDS (Canada) |
| MLS Cup 2026 | Friday 18 December |
Apple TV is the whole answer, almost
Apple has held worldwide MLS rights since 2023 under a ten-year deal. For the first three seasons, matches sat behind a separate paywall, MLS Season Pass. From 2026 that's gone: every regular-season match, every playoff game and the Leagues Cup are included in a standard Apple TV subscription.
What that means in practice:
- No blackouts. Your local team's games are available wherever you are, unlike most US sports.
- Same service worldwide. Apple TV carries MLS in more than 100 countries, so a UK or Australian fan uses the same app as an American one.
- Apple TV includes more than football. The same subscription includes Apple's films and series, plus other sport such as Formula 1 in the US.
- Season-ticket holders get Apple TV included with their tickets.
Prices outside the US vary by country; check Apple's local pricing.
Games on traditional TV
A minority of matches are also broadcast on conventional TV, which is useful for bars and for viewers who prefer cable or an aerial.
| Country | Streaming | Linear TV |
|---|---|---|
| United States | Apple TV, all matches | Selected matches on Fox, FS1 and Fox Deportes |
| Canada | Apple TV, all matches | TSN (mainly Toronto FC and Whitecaps), RDS (CF Montréal) |
| Rest of the world | Apple TV, all matches | Generally none |
Games on Fox are free over the air with an antenna in the US. Our guide to streaming in Canada covers TSN and RDS access for Canadian viewers.
You don't need an Apple device
A common misunderstanding is that "Apple TV" means you need Apple hardware. You don't. The Apple TV app runs on:
- Roku, Amazon Fire TV and Google TV devices
- Samsung, LG, Sony, Vizio and many other smart TVs
- PlayStation and Xbox consoles
- Android phones via a browser (tv.apple.com), plus iPhone, iPad and Mac
- Any computer browser
The Apple TV 4K box does give the smoothest experience, and our Apple TV guide covers it in detail, but it's optional.
The 2026 playoffs and MLS Cup
All playoff games stream on Apple TV, with selected ties on Fox in the US and TSN/RDS in Canada. The MLS Cup final will be shown in prime time on Apple TV, Fox, TSN and RDS.
| Stage | Dates |
|---|---|
| Decision Day (final regular-season round) | Saturday 7 November |
| Wild card matches | Wednesday 18 November |
| Round One (best of three) | 20 November to 2 December |
| Conference semi-finals | 5-6 December |
| Conference finals | 11-12 December |
| MLS Cup | Friday 18 December |
The final is hosted by whichever finalist finished higher in the overall standings.
The 2027 calendar change
MLS is moving to the same summer-to-spring calendar as Europe's major leagues. The transition looks like this:
- February to May 2027: the Sprint Season. Each team plays 14 games against its conference opponents, followed by playoffs and an MLS Cup in May.
- July 2027: the first full 2027-28 season starts.
- Mid-December to early February: a winter break each year, with no league matches in January.
For viewers, it means a shorter break than usual after this December's final, and MLS football through the northern summer when Europe's leagues are off.
Other competitions MLS teams play in
Apple TV covers MLS league and Leagues Cup matches, but not everything MLS clubs play. In the US, the Concacaf Champions Cup is on Fox Sports and FS1; the US Open Cup has been streamed on YouTube and CBS Sports Golazo; and Canada's competitions are on OneSoccer. Check before a cup tie, as those rights change more often.
Tips for watching
- Pay annually if you watch all season. At $99.99 a year, the annual plan costs about the same as eight months of monthly billing.
- Check the audio options. English and Spanish commentary is offered for many matches; look in the player's audio settings.
- Use a wired connection or 5 GHz Wi-Fi on match days; most buffering is the home network rather than the app.
- Skip unofficial streams. With every match available legally for about $13 a month, unlicensed IPTV services and pirate sites offer nothing but risk: unreliable streams, malware and no recourse if they disappear.
Is Apple TV worth it for MLS?
For most MLS fans, the 2026 change made the maths simple. Under the old model, a fan paid for an Apple TV+ subscription and then for MLS Season Pass on top. Now one subscription covers both, and the annual plan costs roughly what Season Pass alone used to.
If you follow one club, $99.99 a year works out at around $2 per league match, with every playoff game and the Leagues Cup included. There's no need for a cable package, a regional sports network or an out-of-market add-on, which makes MLS one of the cheapest major US leagues to follow in full.
If you're a casual viewer, the monthly plan may suit you better. You could subscribe only for the playoff run in November and December, or for the new Sprint Season next spring, and cancel in between.
If you already have Apple TV for its series and films, MLS is effectively free, and you only need to open the MLS section of the app.
If you watch in a group, note that Apple's arrangement with EverPass Media lets bars, restaurants and hotels show MLS legally. A venue showing matches from a personal Apple TV account isn't licensed to do so, so look for venues that advertise an official feed.
The one gap is local broadcast TV. In the US, only a minority of matches appear on Fox, so if you don't want a streaming subscription at all, you'll see very little MLS. In Canada, TSN and RDS carry more matches for the Canadian clubs, which makes the free-to-subscribe gap smaller for fans of those teams.
Common mistakes
Still paying for Season Pass. If you had an old Season Pass renewal set up, check your Apple subscriptions. MLS is now included in Apple TV itself.
Assuming you need Apple hardware. The Apple TV app works on almost every streaming device and smart TV.
Missing cup matches. Concacaf Champions Cup and domestic cup games aren't on Apple TV. Check the broadcaster before a cup tie.
Forgetting the calendar switch. After 18 December, the next MLS action is the February 2027 Sprint Season, so there's no need to pay through January.
Relying on bars without checking. Only venues with a commercial licence can show MLS legally. If you plan to watch the MLS Cup out, check the venue advertises the match.
Missing the regional commentary options. Many fans don't realise the audio menu can offer different commentary. It's worth a look, especially for big matches like the conference finals.
Forgetting the annual renewal. Annual Apple TV plans renew automatically. If you only want MLS for one season, check the renewal date in your Apple account's subscription settings and set a reminder a week or so beforehand, so you have time to decide.
Quick answers
Do I still need MLS Season Pass? No. It was discontinued for 2026, and every match is now included in a regular Apple TV subscription.
How much does it cost to watch MLS? In the US, $12.99 a month or $99.99 a year for Apple TV. Prices elsewhere vary by country.
Can I watch MLS without an Apple device? Yes. The Apple TV app runs on Roku, Fire TV, Google TV, most smart TVs, games consoles and web browsers.
Are there MLS blackouts? No. Every match is available on Apple TV in every market, including your local team's.
When is MLS Cup 2026? Friday 18 December, on Apple TV, Fox, TSN and RDS.
Is MLS on free TV? Some US matches air on Fox, which is free with an antenna. Most matches are only on Apple TV.
When does the next MLS season start? A 14-game Sprint Season runs from February to May 2027, and the new summer-to-spring season starts in July 2027.
Apple TV prices, the list of matches on Fox, TSN and RDS, and the rights to cup competitions can change, and the league's calendar is changing in 2027. Check MLSsoccer.com for each match. Checked September 2026.