Don Garber has served as Major League Soccer’s commissioner since 1999, but his reign could be nearing its twilight as MLS owners have reportedly put the wheels of his succession plan in motion.
MLS owners met to discuss Garber’s potential succession plan prior to the Board of Governors meeting where sweeping changes to the league’s format were announced last week, per the .
The constant growth MLS has experienced under Garber’s two-plus decades as commissioner are evident. What was viewed almost as an experimental league has evolved to become one of the strongest this side of the Atlantic Ocean, constantly attracting more and more of the world’s top players.
However, according to the report, a change in leadership could be fast approaching. MLS Deputy Commissioner and Garber’s right-hand man over the past decade-plus, Gary Stevenson already revealed he plans to retire following the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
Garber’s current contract runs until 2027, the year when MLS’s widely praised calendar change will be installed. However, there’s been nothing but silence regarding Garber’s potential renewal. At present, Garber is the second longest tenured commissioner among the major sports leagues in the U.S.
