LAFC Co-Owner Larry Berg Elected Next MLS Commissioner

The Major League Soccer board of governors has selected Los Angeles FC co-managing owner Larry Berg to become the competition’s next commissioner.

Berg will replace Don Garber at the helm of the 30-year-old league, beginning his tenure on 1 January 2027. He will become the third commissioner in its history.

Garber has held the position since 1999 and remains under contract through the end of 2027. The league confirmed on Monday that he will move into a chairman role once Berg takes charge, helping provide continuity during what it described as a pivotal period in the competition’s development.

As part of the leadership change, Berg must sell his ownership stake in LAFC, according to the league.

All league owners participated in Monday’s vote during a private meeting at its midtown Manhattan headquarters. Earlier that day, Berg and fellow candidate David Nathanson delivered presentations. Nathanson has extensive experience in sports media, including a lengthy spell at Fox, and has invested in the Seattle Sounders, Angel City FC of the NWSL and the NHL’s Seattle Kraken.

Berg’s professional background is in private equity. He currently works as a senior adviser at 26North and previously served as a partner at Apollo Global Management and chairman of McGraw-Hill Education. He joined LAFC as a limited partner when the club was established in 2014, becoming one of its managing owners following an internal buyout in 2016. He also co-chairs the league’s sporting and competition committee.

LAFC made its competitive debut in 2018, led by former United States coach Bob Bradley and Mexican international Carlos Vela. The organization soon developed into one of the league’s leading clubs, regularly competing for honors while earning recognition for its work away from the field. John Thorrington, among its earliest appointments, received the league’s sporting executive of the year award in 2024, while LAFC earned Operations Club of the Year honors in 2023.

Since entering the competition, LAFC has regularly ranked among its most valuable teams, with Forbes placing its estimated worth at $1.32bn in May. Berg’s record of developing a popular club in a major metropolitan area could prove important as the league seeks to expand its presence in cities including New York and Chicago. In his new position, he will also need to represent owners in smaller markets, some of whom have traditionally spent less on their playing squads than LAFC.

Garber said in a written statement that working alongside Berg over the previous decade had allowed him to witness the leadership qualities that made Berg an outstanding choice for the position. He added that he was fully confident in the appointment and looked forward to assisting with the handover as Berg guides the league into a new era.

Berg has repeatedly expressed optimism about the league’s future. In February 2020, he predicted that soccer would overtake baseball and hockey to become the third-most-popular sport in the United States, behind football and basketball, before the decade ended. He pointed to the growth of club academies and the appeal of living in the country as reasons for his confidence.

In the same 2020 interview, Berg said the competition had already become an attractive destination to some degree. However, he argued that its chances of ranking among the world’s top three or five leagues would ultimately depend on financial resources and the ability to compete for leading players.

A notable precedent for an American sports commissioner with previous ownership experience is Bud Selig. He owned the Milwaukee Brewers before taking charge of Major League Baseball in 1992, initially in an acting capacity.

According to the club’s website, Berg is one of LAFC’s four principal owners. Bennett Rosenthal is the lead managing partner, Brandon Beck serves alongside Berg as a co-managing owner, and Peter Guber holds the positions of executive chairman and owner.