As Major League Soccer (MLS) gears up for its highly anticipated 19th edition, we understand just how excited soccer enthusiasts are for the upcoming showcase of world-class talent. With an array of top-tier footballing stars set to grace the field, fans are eagerly awaiting the return of the 2024 MLS regular season after the conclusion of the 2024 Leagues Cup tournament on August 25, 2024.
This post will give you the information you need to keep up with your favorite MLS team this season, including the Major League Soccer schedule, where to watch and more. That way, you can make sure you never miss a minute of the on-field action from the iconic Lionel Messi or anyone else.
How to watch the MLS on DIRECTV
While a select number of MLS matches will be available to watch on your local FOX channel or FOX Deportes, you’ll need Apple TV’s MLS Season Pass to make the most of the upcoming season.
DIRECTV customers can integrate their Apple TV accounts with their DIRECTV interface, so you never need to switch inputs or remotes to watch the soccer content you want. Learn more about connecting your favorite apps to DIRECTV here.
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MLS 2024 Schedule
Make sure you always know when to catch your favorite MLS teams live with this Major League Soccer schedule, provided by DIRECTV!
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Current MLS 2024 Standings
As the middle of the season comes and goes, now’s the perfect time to take a look at where each team is ranking in their respective conferences. To see if your favorite team is living up to its potential, check out the power rankings from the start of the season listed below.
Eastern Conference Rankings
Records as of Leagues Cups breaks (matches resume August 24)
| Rank | Club | Record (W-D-L) | Total Points |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Inter Miami CF | 16-5-4 | 53 |
| 2 | FC Cincinnati | 15-3-7 | 48 |
| 3 | Columbus Crew | 12-7-4 | 43 |
| 4 | NY Red Bulls | 10-11-4 | 41 |
| 5 | New York City FC | 11-5-9 | 38 |
| 6 | Charlotte FC | 10-7-8 | 37 |
| 7 | Orlando City SC | 9-7-9 | 34 |
| 8 | Toronto FC | 9-3-14 | 30 |
| 9 | Atlanta United FC | 7-7-11 | 28 |
| 10 | Philadelphia Union | 6-9-10 | 27 |
| 11 | CF Montréal | 6-9-10 | 27 |
| 12 | Nashville SC | 6-8-11 | 26 |
| 13 | D.C. United | 6-8-11 | 26 |
| 14 | Chicago Fire FC | 6-7-12 | 25 |
| 15 | New England Revolution | 7-2-14 | 23 |
Western Conference Rankings
Records as of Leagues Cups breaks (matches resume August 24)
| Rank | Club | Record (W-D-L) | Total Points |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | LA Galaxy | 14-7-5 | 49 |
| 2 | LAFC | 14-5-5 | 47 |
| 3 | Real Salt Lake | 12-8-5 | 44 |
| 4 | Colorado Rapids | 12-5-9 | 41 |
| 5 | Vancouver Whitecaps FC | 11-5-8 | 38 |
| 6 | Houston Dynamo FC | 10-7-7 | 37 |
| 7 | Seattle Sounders FC | 10-7-8 | 37 |
| 8 | Portland Timbers | 10-6-9 | 36 |
| 9 | Minnesota United FC | 9-6-10 | 33 |
| 10 | Austin United FC | 8-7-10 | 31 |
| 11 | FC Dallas | 8-6-11 | 30 |
| 12 | Sporting KC | 6-6-14 | 24 |
| 13 | St. Louis City FC | 4-11-10 | 23 |
| 14 | San Jose Earthquakes | 4-2-19 | 14 |
MLS 2024 Season Preview
Last year, the MLS expanded to 29 teams with the introduction of St. Louis City SC. In an impressive feat, St. Louis led the Western Conference standings in their inaugural season. In the Eastern Conference, FC Cincinnati claimed the top spot in the regular season. However, neither team advanced to the MLS Cup finals, which saw Columbus Crew and Los Angeles FC compete, with Columbus Crew emerging victorious with a 2-1 score line.
As we look ahead to the upcoming season, we anticipate new contenders to rise to the top, particularly Inter Miami CF and a few other clubs showing potential. Here are some of the top storylines to follow:
Inter Miami CF & Lionel Messi
With the potential to leverage Lionel Messi for an entire season, Inter Miami is poised for a strong campaign. Messi, who made his debut on August 26th last year against New York Red Bulls, joined too late in the 2023 season to propel Inter Miami into the playoffs. This year, however, one of the greatest players of all time will look to leave his mark and propel Inter Miami further.
The addition of Luis Suarez further strengthens their lineup. Alongside Messi (and Neymar), Suarez formed one of the most formidable attacking trios in football history, known as “MSN” at Barcelona. This partnership led Barcelona to multiple La Liga titles and the UEFA Champions League title in 2015. With Messi and Suarez joining forces again, Inter Miami is set to make a major impact in the MLS this season.
MLS Managerial Changes
Another significant aspect to keep an eye on this year is the array of managerial changes, with nine teams beginning the season under new management compared to last year. The teams and their new coaches are listed below:
- CF Montréal: Laurent Courtois replacing Hernán Losada
- Charlotte FC: Dean Smith replacing Christian Lattanzio
- Colorado Rapids: Chris Armas replacing Robin Fraser
- D.C. United: Troy Lesesne replacing Wayne Rooney
- Inter Miami CF: Tata Martino replacing Phil Neville
- Minnesota United FC: TBA replacing Adrian Heath (leading candidate: Eric Ramsay)
- New England Revolution: Caleb Porter replacing Bruce Arena
- Portland Timbers: Phil Neville replacing Giovanni Savarese
- Toronto FC: John Herdman replacing Bob Bradley
MLS Teams & Power Rankings
Below, we’ve compiled a list of all the teams participating in this year’s league, along with their current managers. Teams are ordered by the official MLS Power Rankings list, so you should get a pretty good idea of how your team is expected to perform in the upcoming season.
We’ve also split the teams up by Conference.
Eastern Conference:
| Overall Rank | Conference Rank | Team | Coach |
| 1 | 1 | Columbus Crew | Wilfried Nancy |
| 2 | 2 | FC Cincinnati | Pat Noonan |
| 4 | 3 | Inter Miami CF | Gerardo Martino* |
| 5 | 4 | Orlando City SC | Óscar Pareja |
| 6 | 5 | Atlanta United FC | Gonzalo Pineda |
| 8 | 6 | Philadelphia Union | Jim Curtin |
| 10 | 7 | New England Revolution | Caleb Porter* |
| 14 | 8 | New York Red Bulls | Sandro Schwarz |
| 15 | 8 | Nashville SC | Gary Smith |
| 17 | 10 | New York City FC | Nick Kushing |
| 22 | 11 | Chicago Fire FC | Frank Klopas |
| 25 | 12 | CF Montréal | Laurent Courtois* |
| 26 | 13 | D.C. United | Troy Lesesne* |
| 27 | 14 | Charlotte FC | Dean Smith* |
| 29 | 15 | Toronto FC | John Herdman* |
Western Conference:
| Overall Rank | Conference Rank | Team | Coach |
| 3 | 1 | Seattle Sounders FC | Brian Schmetzer |
| 7 | 2 | Los Angeles FC | Steve Cherundolo |
| 9 | 3 | FC Dallas | Nico Estévez |
| 11 | 4 | St. Louis City SC | Nico Estévez |
| 12 | 5 | Houston Dynamo FC | Ben Olsen |
| 13 | 6 | Vancouver Whitecaps FC | Vanni Sartini |
| 16 | 7 | Sporting Kansas City | Peter Vermes |
| 18 | 8 | LA Galaxy | Greg Vanney |
| 19 | 9 | Real Salt Lake | Pablo Mastroeni |
| 20 | 10 | Colorado Rapids | Chris Armas* |
| 21 | 11 | Portland Timbers | Phil Neville* |
| 23 | 12 | Minnesota United FC | Cameron Knowles* |
| 24 | 13 | San Jose Earthquakes | Luchi Gonzalez |
| 28 | 14 | Austin FC | Joshua Wolff |
* new manager
Key Dates in the 2024 MLS Season
Check out the list below for some of the must-see dates and events for all avid MLS fans!
2024 Opener: Inter Miami vs. Real Salt Lake
Date: February 21
Kick-off: 8 p.m. ET
Be sure to tune in as the MLS season kicks off with an exciting match between Messi’s Inter Miami and RSL!
MLS is Back Weekend
Date: February 24-25
Kick-off: Various (check schedule)
A full round of 14 fixtures will mark the commencement of the first weekend of the MLS season.
Rivalry Week
Date: May 11-18
Kick-off: Various (check schedule)
Don’t miss the action on Rivalry Week as some of MLS’s fiercest rivals face off against each other. Exciting fixtures include Columbus Crew vs. FC Cincinnati (May 11, 7:30 p.m. ET), Portland Timbers vs. Seattle Sounders FC (May 12, 4:30 p.m. ET), Orlando City SC vs. Inter Miami CF (May 15, 7:30 p.m. ET) and Toronto FC vs. CF Montréal (May 18, 7:30 p.m. ET).
El Tráfico at the Rose Bowl
Date: July 4
Kick-off: 10:30 p.m. ET
LA Galaxy and LAFC will meet for El Tráfico at the Rose Bowl on July 4 (10:30 p.m. ET) for the second consecutive season. Last year’s match, also held on Independence Day, drew a record-breaking MLS attendance of 82,110 fans.
MLS All-Star Game
Date: July 24
Kick-off: TBA
Make sure to circle the dates for the vibrant festivities at Lower.com Field in Columbus this year! Dive into an exhilarating week packed with top-tier soccer events, live music, interactive fan engagements and community-driven activities in the heart of Ohio’s capital city.
Leagues Cup
Date: July 26-August 25
Kick-off: Various
Get ready for the thrill of the Leagues Cup, a dynamic World Cup-style club competition featuring the top LIGA MX and MLS teams! In 2024, the tournament is back with a bang, putting domestic play on hold for an entire month. It all starts on July 26 and culminates in an epic final showdown on August 25.
Decision Day
Date: Oct. 19 (start date)
Kick-off: Eastern Conference matches begin at 6 p.m. ET; Western Conference matches begin at 9 p.m. ET
The last day of the regular season guarantees a full slate of fixtures, where teams’ entire seasons hang in the balance. It’s a pivotal day in the MLS that shouldn’t be missed, as playoff spots and entry into the MLS Cup are finalized.
MLS Cup Final 2024
Date: December 7
Kick-off: TBA
The thrilling postseason journey reaches its peak with the highly anticipated MLS Cup 2024 final on Saturday, December 7th. The hosting privilege is bestowed upon the finalist with the better regular-season record, adding an extra layer of excitement to the grand finale.
Watch Soccer With DIRECTV
In addition to watching select MLS games on FOX, and even more with Apple Season Pass, you can catch UEFA Champions League, English Premier League and more on DIRECTV.
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