MLS Enters Multi-Year Partnership With Prediction Market Platform Polymarket
Soccer United Marketing (SUM), the marketing arm of Major League Soccer (MLS), on Monday announced a new multi-year partnership with Polymarket, the world’s largest prediction market.
Polymarket Becomes Official Partner Of MLS, Leagues Cup
Under the agreement, Polymarket will serve as the official prediction market partner of MLS, MLS All-Star Game, MLS Cup presented by Audi, and Leagues Cup.
The partnership also makes MLS among the first global soccer leagues to integrate prediction market insights into the betting experience, according to the news release.
Polymarket and MLS plan to develop new fan experiences across MLS digital platforms, emphasizing the enhancement of the “live match experience” and “second-screen engagement” for fans.
“As MLS continues to grow, innovation remains central to how we engage fans and evolve the league,” said Gary Stevenson, MLS Deputy Commissioner and President of Soccer United Marketing.
“Partnering with Polymarket allows us to integrate prediction markets as a new fan engagement format and position MLS as an early leader among global soccer properties.”
This latest news comes days after the White House blocked Kalshi and Polymarket on its WiFi and the House of Representatives’ network.
Partnership Includes Safeguards To Preserve Integrity
The partnership also includes safeguards designed to protect the integrity of MLS and Leagues Cup matches, such as independent monitoring of trading activities in MLS and Leagues Cup markets.
Chris Schlosser, MLS Senior Vice President of Emerging Ventures, told Jonathan Tannenwald of The Philadelphia Inquirer that the deal is about protecting the integrity of soccer matches.
“All of the major prediction markets have markets on MLS — they all offer trading on the league,” Schlosser said. “And so, we felt like we really needed to lean in on the integrity side and create a framework for protection.”
Per Tannenwald, Schlosser added that MLS and Polymarket will create an “authorized prediction market” status comparable to the “authorized gaming operator” status that licensed sportsbooks have.
“Things like approval over markets, things like working with a league on restricted individuals, league staff, club staff, players, referees, owners to make sure that they’re not trading on the sport of soccer,” Schlosser continued.
Polymarket To Provide MLS Fans A More Interactive Experience
According to Polymarket, the prediction market operator will essentially provide a new framework for a more data-driven experience for fans.
“As soccer’s audience continues to grow and evolve in the U.S., fans are looking for new ways to engage more deeply with the game,” said Shayne Coplan, Founder and CEO of Polymarket.
“Through our partnership with MLS and Leagues Cup, we can surface real-time collective sentiment around key moments, matches, and season-long storylines, giving fans a more interactive, data-driven way to experience the game and engage with the world’s most popular sport.”
The 2026 MLS season kicks off Feb. 21 with a full slate of 15 matches, including the Los Angeles Football Club facing MLS Cup champion Inter Miami CF at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum.
The following day will feature a doubleheader that begins with LA Galaxy hosting New York City FC for Sunday Night Soccer and a matchup between Seattle Sounders FC and Colorado Rapids.
Tags/Keywords
Players trust our reporting due to our commitment to unbiased and professional evaluations of the iGaming sector. We track hundreds of platforms and industry updates daily to ensure our news feed and leaderboards reflect the most recent market shifts. With nearly two decades of experience within iGaming, our team provides a wealth of expert knowledge. This long-standing expertise enables us to deliver thorough, reliable news and guidance to our readers.
Latest News
