The Apple TV+ and Major League Soccer experiment is now just a couple of months away. On Tuesday, MLS announced that its regular season will begin on Saturday, Feb. 25.
The first match of the 2023 season will see Nashville SC — led by reigning MLS MVP Hany Mukhtar — host New York City FC, with 20-year-old Brazilian star Talles Magno, at 4:30 p.m. ET, live on the Apple TV app, FOX, and FOX Deportes. All matches during the “MLS is Back” weekend will be available to watch for free on the Apple TV app.
With a stated focus on building a schedule to best serve the league’s passionate fans and drive destination viewing and attendance, the majority of games in the 2023 season will be played on Saturdays and select Wednesdays, with 7:30 p.m. local start times. That means that for a majority of the season, MLS fans won’t have to bother asking what time their favorite teams’ match starts.
The 2023 MLS season will also feature the return of Rivalry Week. The special set of games will present four days of the league’s fiercest matchups from May 13-20. Kicking off Saturday, May 13 at 7:30 p.m. ET on MLS Season Pass will be a Southern showdown featuring Atlanta United hosting Charlotte FC at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. Rivalry Week will also feature other marquee matchups, including a matchup between the New York Redbulls and New York FC.
Another highlight of the 2023 schedule is the All-Star Game which is set for Wednesday, July 19 at Audi Field, home of D.C. United. Unlike All-Star games in other sports, the annual MLS event pits the league’s best against an international team for a truly unique exhibition. The opponent for Major League Soccer’s showcase event will be announced at a later date.
The schedule release featured one more marquee event in 2023: the Leagues Cup Break. The MLS regular season will pause following the July 15 games for Leagues Cup play before resuming on Aug. 20. This will allow MLS Season Pass to present a completely reimagined Leagues Cup: an annual, monthlong, CONCACAF-sanctioned tournament featuring all 47 clubs from the MLS and Mexico’s Liga MX.
The league will also pause during the October and November FIFA international windows, so players can take the pitch for their respective national teams. MLS clubs were presented with the option to play during the June and September FIFA international window, with 13 clubs electing to do so. So while not all teams will be in action during those periods, there will still be games to watch.
The five MLS teams that have qualified for the Scotiabank CONCACAF Champions League will kick off the first leg of Round of 16 play on March 7-9. Participating teams include Austin FC, LAFC, Orlando City SC, Philadelphia Union, and Vancouver Whitecaps FC. Additionally, Seattle Sounders FC will play in the FIFA Club World Cup, which kicks off February 1-11 in Morocco.
With MLS Season Pass, fans can enjoy every MLS match on devices through the Apple TV app on Apple devices, smart TVs, streaming devices, set-top boxes, and game consoles, and via the web. MLS Season Pass will have every match of the MLS regular season, Audi 2023 MLS Cup Playoffs, and Leagues Cup — all in one place and with no blackouts. MLS Season Pass will launch on Feb. 1.
Soccer fans can subscribe to MLS Season Pass on the Apple TV app for $14.99 per month during the season or $99 for the entire season. Apple TV+ subscribers can sign up at a special price of $12.99 monthly or $79 per season. This means that customers will not need to subscribe to Apple TV+ to have access to MLS Season Pass, but that they will receive a discount if they do.
A selection of MLS and Leagues Cup matches, including some of the biggest playoff matchups, will also be available at no additional cost to Apple TV+ subscribers, with a number of matches available for free on the Apple TV app. Reporting from earlier this year suggests that up to 40% of MLS games will be made available without cost on the Apple TV app. Select matches will also be available on FOX networks in the U.S.
The 2023 season marks the first in a 10-year relationship between Apple and MLS. If the deal between the two entities is successful, it could serve as the blueprint for future agreements between streaming services and major sports leagues.
Apple TV+
Apple TV+ is a subscription video streaming service for $9.99 a month that includes high-quality original shows and movies including Best Picture winner “CODA,” popular sitcom “Ted Lasso,” and dramas like “The Morning Show” and “Severance.” Apple TV+ is also home to MLB baseball games on Friday nights and MLS Season Pass.