Top five favourites to win MLS 2024 (Major League Soccer)

Published at :February 17, 2024 at 6:19 PM

Modified at :February 17, 2024 at 6:19 PM

The Major League Soccer has been growing as a top league destination year by year

Major League Soccer (MLS) is the top-flight league in the United States of America and Canada. The league comprises 29 teams – 26 in the United States and 3 in Canada – since the 2023 season. The MLS has been growing as a top league destination year by year. It’s more competitive, better players are being attracted to the league, and attendances are strong.

While it was fashionable to mock the league for only attracting ageing, retiring foreign players from European leagues, the quality of purchase is getting better as the MLS and attractiveness have increased.

The league has a fixed membership like most sports leagues in the United States and Canada, which makes it one of the few soccer leagues that does not use a promotion and relegation process. The 2024 MLS campaign is only a few days away, so here we look at the top five favourites to win MLS in 2024:

5. New York City FC

The club is co-owned by City Football Group, a subsidiary of Abu Dhabi United Group, and Yankee Global Enterprises, owners of the New York Yankees. The club then won its first international trophy when they defeated Atlas at the 2022 Campeones Cup, becoming the first New York–based club to win an international trophy.

They won the MLS Cup in 2021 and this season as well they have a decent team which can have a good chance of winning this season. Even though in some positions they need to sign new players still they will be really competitive this season for sure.

4. LA Galaxy

The club began play in 1996 as one of the league’s 10 charter members. The team holds a rivalry with the San Jose Earthquakes in the California Clásico and used to play the Super Clasico against city rivals Chivas USA before that team folded in 2014.

The franchise is one of Major League Soccer’s most successful teams, with a record five MLS Cups and four additional appearances in the final, and won the Western Conference regular-season title eight times, four Supporters Shields, two U.S. Open Cups, and one CONCACAF Champions Cup title. They won MLS in 2002, 2005, 2011,2012, 2014. They will be hungry to win this season as they haven’t won since 2014.

3. Los Angeles FC

Since they started playing, Los Angeles FC have had a fierce rivalry with the LA Galaxy. The rivalry between the two clubs has been dubbed El Tráfico by the supporters of both clubs, a humorous play on El Clasico. They have one of the best success rates league-wide on international and domestic signings. They won the MLS in 2022 and this time they have a very good chance to once again clinch the title.

2. Columbus Crew

The Crew have won seven major trophies: the MLS Cup in 2008, 2020 and 2023, the Supporters’ Shield in 2004, 2008, and 2009, and the 2002 U.S. Open Cup. The Crew have qualified for the CONCACAF Champions Cup five times, reaching the quarter-finals on the first three occasions. In 2021, the club won their first continental trophy by winning the Campeones Cup. The Crew has a rivalry with the Chicago Fire. Their team is well-balanced and will be competitive for sure to defend their title.

1. FC Cincinnati

The team was first announced on August 12, 2015, as a United Soccer League (USL) franchise which played from 2016 to 2018. On May 29, 2018, the club’s ownership was awarded an MLS franchise, and the team began MLS play on March 2, 2019. FC Cincinnati played their first match as a Major League Soccer franchise on March 3, 2019, a 4–1 road loss to Seattle Sounders FC.

They have gone on to win the Supporters Shield in 2023 and they are favourites to win the MLS Cup in 2024 without any doubt. They have one of the best squads in the MLS and will give their all this season to win their first MLS Cup.

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