Major League Soccer

The Major League Soccer is the principal competition of football to the the United States of America and the Canada created in 1996. It represents the professional division of the Fédération of the United States of football, member of FIFA.

Fact characteristic of the sport states-unien, the professional league is closed: she is played only by franknesses which pay to enter the league. There is no system of relegation-promotion and the thirteen North-American franknesses (twelve étasuniennes, Canadian) are divided into conferences (Is and Western). The season ends in Playoff S in matches return ticket, except for the final.

The large majority of the players comes from the the United States, but also from Jamaica, the Canada, Trinidad and Tobago.

History of professional football in the United States

North American Soccer League

See also: North American Soccer League

After years of stammering, and leagues being opposed, the NASL is born in 1968. But as of its birth, the NASL takes model on the other great professional leagues étasuniennes such as NHL, NBA, or NFL: the clubs are franknesses, undertaken having for original intention thrive (in certain cases, move from one city to another) before making goods résulats. The NASL recruits stars in end of a career with wages mirobolants, such as Pelé, Franz Beckenbauer, or Eusebio, to privilege the spectacle with the play, and the training of future professional players. The NASL will end up ceasing its activities in 1984.

NASL with the MLS

The competition

The bankruptcy of the NASL discourages the largest investors, but the FIFA poses like condition with the organization of the World cup 1994 the installation of a professional championship in national matter. Étasuniennes trail feet, but hold word in 1996 all the same with the creation of the MLS.

Following the example other major leagues, the MLS includes/understands one regular season which is played from April at October followed by eliminatory series and a baptized final “MLS Cup”. The cutting of the plate in conferences (Is and Western) is not explained only by geographical reasons: a more traditional championship more quickly puts except play the small teams and one thus optimizes the number of teams concerned with the second phase throughout the championship. The number of matches varies according to the seasons and the number of teams. Thus each club will play 30 matches in 2007.

The number of franknesses MLS is indeed variable: 10 teams in 1996,12 in 1998 (arrival of Chicago Fire and Miami Fusion), redescente with 10 in 2001 (disappearance of Miami Fusion and Tampa Bay Mutiny) then goes back to 12 in 2005 (with Chivas the USA and Real Salt Lake). The Toronto FC became the 13th club in 2007. The objective of the leaders of the League being to arrive at 16 teams from here 2010.

Maximum wages

There exists maximum wages that the franknesses are authorized to pour with their players: the Salary Cape (ceiling on wages) is estimated at 1,9 million dollars in 2006, and should be revalued in 2007. This rule exists in other sports in the United States (Hockey, American football, Basket), but also in Rugby in England, and is under discussion in certain federations in Europe.

There exists however a rule of exception, Designated Player Rule, also known under the name of rule Beckham . Adopted for three seasons in 2007, at the time of the arrival of the English player to the Los Angeles Galaxy, it makes it possible a frankness to exceed the maximum wages, in order to be competitive with the international level compared to the nations where such a limitation does not exist.

Franknesses MLS in 2007

See also: Season MLS 2007

Team of return in 2008

  • : in MLS of 1996 to 2005

Future team (probably in 2009)

Former teams

  • : in MLS of 1998 to 2001

  • : in MLS of 1996 to 2001

Expansion

Prize list MLS

  • 1996 : D.C. United - Los Angeles Galaxy: 3-2 ap
  • 1997 : D.C. United - Colorado Rapids: 2-1
  • 1998 : Chicago Fire - D.C. United: 2-0
  • 1999 : D.C. United - Los Angeles Galaxy: 2-0
  • 2000 : Kansas City Wizards - Chicago Fire: 1-0
  • 2001 : San Jose Earthquakes - Los Angeles Galaxy: 2-1 ap
  • 2002 : Los Angeles Galaxy - New England Revolution: 1-0 ap
  • 2003 : San Jose Earthquakes - Chicago Fire: 4-2
  • 2004 : D.C. United - Kansas City Wizards: 3-2
  • 2005 : Los Angeles Galaxy - New England Revolution: 1-0 ap
  • 2006 : Houston Dynamo - New England Revolution: 1-1 ap (4-3)
  • 2007: Houston Dynamo - New England Revolution: 2-1

Individual rewards

Average multitudes during the regular season

See too

External bonds

  • Official site of the MLS
  • Official site of the federation states-unien
  • Official site of the National Soccer Hall off Famed
  • the MLS, topicality of Red Bull New York and stats of Youri Djorkaeff
  • Blog on the topicality of football in North America

References

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