There will be a new commissioner in town for Major League Soccer as the league owners came together in New York City on Monday to select Los Angeles FC co-owner Larry Berg for the role, succeeding Don Garber. The final vote was unanimous. Garber has held the position since 1999, and Berg would become only the third commissioner in league history.
A former senior partner at private equity firm Apollo Global Management, Berg will transition into the role of commissioner full-time beginning on January 1, 2027. He was officially introduced to the media in a press conference on Tuesday afternoon.
That change will be accompanied by significant alterations to the competition structure, which includes divisions and a new postseason format. League owners are also working on a new roster investment model, one that may have to be linked to a new collective bargaining agreement with the MLS Players Association. The current CBA expires on January 31, 2028.
Berg will have to divest his shares of LAFC as part of this deal, but he comes with a strong business background, having also spent time at Apollo Global Management and McGraw-Hill Education.