MLS and Apple reportedly revise streaming deal: Higher payments, early 2029 end date and opt-out removed ahead of 2026 World Cup

Under the revised arrangement, MLS will reportedly receive $200 million for the 2026 season as per Sportico. The report added that they will then earn $107.5 million for the shortened 2027 “sprint” season, followed by $275 million payments for each of the 2027-28 and 2028-29 seasons, according to people briefed on the agreement.

Those figures yield an average roughly in line with the original per-season economics but bring more cash forward and represent a roughly $50 million increase in aggregate receipts through mid-2029 versus the old schedule, the report said. Apple has also waived its contractual right to terminate the deal after 2027.

According to the report, MLS officials and Apple pushed changes in the wake of two related strategic shifts: the league's decision to fold the separate Season Pass into Apple TV’s main bundle for 2026 and the league’s plan to flip to a fall–spring calendar in 2027.

Bringing MLS into the core Apple TV product increases potential reach and helps the platform bundle sports with other high-value content; the revised payment profile accelerates league revenue ahead of the post-World Cup media cycle, when MLS will be able to test the market sooner. Apple’s concession on the opt-out clause limits its short-term exit flexibility and signals a willingness to lock in the revised path for the next few seasons.

The shortened agreement provides MLS with an opportunity to re-enter the media rights marketplace sooner than initially planned, potentially capitalizing on increased interest in soccer following the 2026 World Cup. This timing could prove advantageous as the league anticipates heightened attention and engagement with the sport in North America. The original 10-year agreement, announced in 2022, represented an unprecedented move for a major American sports league, placing all matches on a single streaming platform without local blackouts.

With the revised timetable in place, MLS will complete its transition to Apple TV’s main offering in 2026 and run on the updated schedule through the 2028–29 season under the new payment terms. The league can now accelerate market testing after the World Cup and may negotiate a new rights deal or extend with Apple when the term expires. Apple continues to add to their sports portfolio after recently adding F1, starting next season.