MLS on TV and Online: Complete Guide to Apple, FOX and Other Options

If you follow Major League Soccer, your matchday probably looks like this. You hear about Inter Miami CF on social media, someone sends you a clip of Vancouver Whitecaps beating Seattle, and suddenly you are hunting through apps trying to find the right channel. With the Apple deal, some games sit inside MLS Season Pass, others land on FOX Sports, FOX Deportes, TSN, or Univision, and your living room becomes a small control room.

In this guide, we will walk through where MLS on TV actually lives right now. We will cover Apple TV, linear partners like FOX, how to stream key nights like MLS Cup, and how that setup changes again in 2026 when matches are folded into the standard Apple TV subscription. We will also talk about global coverage for fans in Canada, England, Mexico, and beyond, so you can tune in without guesswork. We’ll also show how a VPN like VeePN helps when you travel, hit region errors, or have to use sketchy café Wi-Fi.

Oliver Bennett

Dec 22, 2025

11 min read

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Where to find MLS on TV after the Apple new deal

The biggest change in MLS history came with the 10 year partnership between the league and Apple that started in 2023. With MLS Season Pass inside the Apple TV app, every regular season game, playoff match, and most tournaments moved into one global hub. Apple and MLS promote the deal as the most comprehensive MLB coverage style package soccer has seen, only for MLS instead of baseball.

On top of that, there is still a new deal for linear partners. FOX Sports and FOX Deportes in the United States, plus TSN and RDS in Canada, carry a smaller but important slice of live matches on traditional TV. These include selected MLS matches, some playoff rounds, and MLS Cup through 2026.

Here is how that breaks down in practice.

Apple TV and MLS Season Pass

For the 2023–2025 span, MLS Season Pass is the main home of MLS teams and regular season game broadcasts. Every MLS match streams there, with no traditional blackout restrictions for in-market games, which is a big change from older cable models. The pass lives inside the Apple TV app, runs on smart TVs, game consoles, and browsers, and works in over 100 countries.

Starting with the 2026 MLS season, Apple drops the separate pass. Every Apple TV subscriber will be able to watch all MLS content, including Leagues Cup, the Audi MLS Cup Playoffs, the All Star events, and Campeones Cup, at no extra fee. That shift has already been confirmed in Apple and media announcement pieces.

FOX Sports, FOX Deportes, and Univision partners

A limited linear TV package still exists. FOX and FS1 carry a group of MLS games each week, with FOX Deportes offering Spanish language coverage. Televisa Univision owns rights to selected matches, including some that air in Mexico on channels and streaming apps fans already know. For English language viewers, many FOX games appear inside bundles on YouTube TV, DIRECTV Stream, and other streaming platforms.

TSN and RDS in Canada

In Canada, TSN and RDS still show a slate of MLS on TV, including in-market Pirates games style broadcasts for Canadian clubs and several playoff round matchups. They also cover some Leagues Cup fixtures. Bell Media’s soccer rights sit alongside the Apple package, so Canadian fans can often pick between TSN channels and MLS Season Pass on Apple TV for the same match.

If you only remember one thing from this section, make it this: every MLS league match is on Apple, and a selection also airs on FOX Sports, FOX Deportes, TSN, RDS, and Televisa Univision.

How MLS Season Pass and Apple TV work right now

Let us look a bit closer at how MLS Season Pass and Apple TV subscribers fit together, because the rules change again soon.

When the service launched, Season Pass was a separate subscription on top of Apple TV+. Prices hovered around 79–99 $ per season, with discounts for Apple TV customers, and free access for many season ticket holders in each market. It unlocked every MLS on TV broadcast, full replays, condensed highlights, and whip around show coverage similar to NFL RedZone, but for MLS soccer.

Three details matter if you are signing up today:

What is included in Season Pass in 2025

During the 2025 season, MLS Season Pass still sells as its own product. It includes every regular season game, Leagues Cup, most competitions like Campeones Cup, and the Audi MLS Cup Playoffs. All of this lives in the Apple TV app and is available on most devices, from iPhones and smart TVs to some cable boxes that integrate streaming. Leagues Cup 2025, for example, is available worldwide on Season Pass, with extra carriage via partners like DIRECTV and Xfinity in some regions.

What changes in 2026 for Apple TV subscribers

Starting in 2026, Apple folds all MLS Season Pass content into the basic Apple TV package. That means Apple TV subscribers will not pay extra to watch MLS games. Reporters from outlets like The Guardian and technology sites confirm that the standalone pass ends after the 2025 MLS season, with all matches and tournaments included for one monthly subscription instead.

Free matches and special events

Even now, some MLS matches stream free. Apple offers selected live matches each matchday, and in December 2025 the league announced that the MLS Cup final between Inter Miami CF and Vancouver Whitecaps would stream free in over 100 countries on Apple TV, while still airing on FOX, FOX Deportes, TSN, RDS, and TNT in Mexico. Xfinity also made its own move, adding free Sunday Night Soccer access on Season Pass for its cable customers.

All of this means matchdays are less about finding a random TV schedule and more about deciding which service fits your budget and devices.

Watching an MLS season with live TV and streaming services

Even if Apple now leads the project, MLS on TV still touches classic channels and streaming services. The right mix depends on whether you love linear broadcasts, need cloud DVR, or want every Cup and final in one app.

Here is how the main streaming platforms and bundles fit together:

DIRECTV Stream and other live TV bundles

DIRECTV Stream sits high on the list if you enjoy linear TV for multiple sports. With the right Choice package or Choice plan, you get FOX Sports, sometimes local FOX stations, and often national outlets like ESPN and NBC for other events on the sports calendar.

These bundles usually include cloud DVR so you can record late MLS games on a Wednesday or pack a busy July weekend full of replays. Always check that your package actually includes FOX and any regional coverage you need before you purchase.

YouTube TV, Hulu, and similar streaming platforms

YouTube TV and Hulu with Live TV are strong if you want a simple app that surfaces live sports across different leagues. They carry FOX, many local stations, and sometimes TBS, TNT, and NBC for other soccer and baseball broadcast rights.

You can sign in once with your account, see a clear page of upcoming MLS matches, and tune in with a few clicks. Just remember that these bundles do not replace MLS Season Pass if you want every match worldwide.

Fans in Canada, England, Mexico and other markets

Outside the US, MLS on TV looks slightly different. In Canada, TSN and RDS remain key. In England and much of Europe, MLS games sit almost entirely inside Apple TV with occasional carriage on local partners. In Mexico, TNT and other local media partners join Apple and Televisa Univision for big Cup nights.

If you used to rely on older cable subscription packages, think of MLS Season Pass as your main anchor, and these local TV options as nice extras that may be included in some plans.

Whatever you choose, it helps to keep one simple habit. Open your provider app, search for your team like New York Red Bulls, Seattle or Portland, and favorite them. Most modern apps will then create a simple page where upcoming matchday listings, past highlights, and replays live together.

Big nights: MLS Cup, Leagues Cup and rivalry matches

Some nights in Major League Soccer feel bigger than others. That is when people who do not usually follow the league suddenly text you asking where to watch.

Recent announcements show how these marquee games are handled. For the 30th MLS season, the 2025 MLS Cup between Inter Miami CF and Vancouver Whitecaps streams free worldwide on Apple TV and also appears on FOX Sports, FOX Deportes, TSN, RDS, and TNT in Mexico. Production teams have turned it into a showcase, even highlighting that parts of the broadcast are shot on the new iPhone camera setups.

The same pattern holds for other tournaments.

Leagues Cup and cross border competitions

All Leagues Cup 2025 matches air on MLS Season Pass through the Apple TV app, which covers clubs from the U.S., Canada, and Mexico in one blended tournament. Some fixtures, like San Diego vs Pachuca, also appear on FS1 in the U.S. while staying exclusive to Apple in some markets. That means you can follow Vancouver, Portland, Seattle, Miami, and Mexican sides in one place if you stick with Season Pass.

Rivalry nights and star power

The arrival of Messi at Inter Miami CF turned some Saturday nights into global events. Media reports noted that Season Pass sign ups and popularity spikes lined up with those early Miami matches, and Apple has leaned into that momentum across each MLS season.

Practical tips so you do not miss key MLS games

At this point, we know where the rights live. Now let us make sure you do not miss kickoffs. A small routine before each matchday saves a lot of stress:

Open the MLS on TV section on the official site and your team’s page to confirm the exact time, channels, and service showing the game. These listings update quickly when media partners shuffle their lineup, especially in March, July, or December when schedules are tight.
Use your cloud DVR to catch late live matches or a West Coast Cup final if you live on the East Coast. This is especially useful for out-of-market fans who also follow MLB, football, or other sports.
Avoid shady “free football stream” sites. Recent court cases in Europe even forced network providers to block certain pirate IPTV platforms that stole soccer content, which also disrupted unrelated sites. Many of those “free” pages hide tracking scripts and malware. It is safer to spend a bit on a legit subscription and protect your account with a VPN than to risk your banking details for one match.

How VeePN helps when you watch MLS on TV and online

Now, let us talk about privacy and stability. A VPN like VeePN will not replace any subscription, but it can make watching MLS on TV calmer and safer, especially if you move between networks a lot:

Strong encryption for public and hotel Wi Fi

VeePN uses strong encryption that wraps your soccer traffic in an encrypted tunnel. On public Wi-Fi in bars, airports, or hotels, that makes it much harder for someone on the same network to spy on your logins or streaming sessions. It also reduces the chance that a compromised hotspot will silently log your account details while you stream a regular season game.

Changing IP to steady region and fix weird errors

When apps see you jumping between networks, they occasionally throw region or blackout restrictions-style errors. With VeePN, you pick a nearby server and keep a consistent IP while you watch MLS matches, Leagues Cup, or out-of-market games on the road. That can clear some “not available in your area” messages and help your streaming platforms behave more predictably.

Kill Switch to avoid accidental leaks mid match

If the VPN tunnel drops for a second, VeePN’s Kill Switch can halt traffic. That means your device will not suddenly reconnect in plain form with your real IP while your stream keeps running.

Leak protection for DNS and IPv6

VeePN includes protection against DNS and IPv6 leaks, which helps make sure only the encrypted tunnel handles your requests. For you, that means your MLS on TV apps see one clean market and do not get confused if your router, modem, or ISP routes requests in an odd way. This pairs well with good password hygiene on your streaming account.

Fast protocols that fight throttling

Some providers slow high bandwidth categories like 4K live sports at peak times. VeePN’s fast VPN protocols like WireGuard make it harder to classify traffic for throttling. The result is more stable speed when everyone presses play on a tight Cup final or a midweek Seattle vs Portland match that goes into extra time.

Many servers and up to 10 devices per plan

With thousands of servers in dozens of countries and support for up to 10 devices on one plan, you can protect the living room TV, a laptop that checks World Soccer Talk, and a phone that keeps an eye on other competitions.

Try VeePN for your next weekend of MLS and baseball. We offer a 30-day money back guarantee, so you can test it without any risk.

FAQ

The simplest path is MLS Season Pass in the Apple TV app, since it carries every MLS on TV broadcast in one place. You can also add FOX Sports or TSN through a live TV bundle if you like classic channels and extra coverage. Discover more in this article.

Through the 2025 MLS season, you still pay separately for MLS Season Pass. From 2026 on, Apple has said that all Major League Soccer matches will be included with a standard Apple TV subscription at no extra fee. That means one service will handle league nights, Leagues Cup, and the MLS Cup final.

Yes, many fans use a VPN like VeePN to keep streams steady when they move between Wi Fi, mobile data, and new networks. It helps you maintain a stable region, adds encryption on public hotspots, and can reduce some blackout restrictions glitches. Just combine it with legit streaming services like MLS Season Pass, DIRECTV Stream, or YouTube TV instead of sketchy “free” sites.

Written by Oliver Bennett Oliver Bennett is a dedicated cyber security content writer with a knack for breaking down intricate cyber topics into accessible and actionable insights.