As Canada, the United States and Mexico get ready to co-host the 2026 FIFA World Cup this summer, Major League Soccer is celebrating the “places, people and passion that define soccer in North America” with their official match ball for the 2026 season.
Unveiled by MLS and adidas on Friday, January 2, the new match ball features a swirling red, blue and silver design on a white base. It includes the GPS coordinates of each of the 30 stadiums that MLS teams play in, making it “a living map of the game,” according to a league press release. It also includes visual references to the handles of the MLS Cup trophy, as well as nods to club crests, stars and maple leaves.
The design of the 2026 MLS Official Match Ball reflects the league’s identity and footprint across the continent. From the coordinates embedded in each panel to the repeating MLS iconography, every detail points back to the communities, cities, and supporters that power the league and represents the entire world of North American soccer in one ball.
— Major League Soccer press release
The ball is constructed with four panels and deeper seams to balance drag and “deliver a more consistent, stable flight path.” Details embossed on the surface of the ball are designed to enhance grip and control in wet or humid conditions.
The 2026 MLS regular season kicks off on the weekend of February 21 and 22 with a full slate of 15 matches. The first of those matches sees Charlotte FC visit St. Louis CITY SC at 2:30 p.m. ET on Saturday, February 21. The league will pause from May 25 to July 16 to accommodate the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
