Adidas is renewing its partnership with Major League Soccer in a six-year extension that will pay the league $830 million through 2030, according to someone with knowledge of the partnership.
It’s the largest investment the sportswear company has made in American soccer, said the person, who was granted anonymity because the details are private. That was also true of the last extension, a six-year contract signed in 2017 that paid about $700 million back when the league had 22 clubs.
This extension is the latest sign of growth for the league, which now has 29 teams and is looking to expand amid soaring valuations. The average MLS club is now worth $582 million, according to Sportico’s numbers, led by LAFC’s $900 million valuation.
The Adidas (XETRA: ADS.DE) extension, which covers the 2026 men’s World Cup in North America, should help grow those numbers, MLS commissioner Don Garber told CNBC on Wednesday morning. He cited growing sponsorships revenue and ticket sales, along with the league’s new 10-year global partnership with Apple (Nasdaq: AAPL), which will pay it at least $2.5 billion.
“That’s the pitch deck,” Garber said, “and when you get a partnership like this, it takes that to another level.”
An Adidas spokesperson declined to comment on the terms. An MLS spokeswoman declined to comment on the terms.
Adidas is the longest-running partner in MLS history, dating back to the league’s inaugural season in 1996. Under this new extension, the company will continue to supply the on-field jerseys, training apparel and the official game ball. It will also support youth clubs and MLS’ new development league.
The MLS season begins later this week.
(This story has been updated to clarify Adidas declining to comment.)