Who Owns MLS Teams? A Complete 2025 MLS Team Ownership Guide

Who really owns MLS teams? Major League Soccer (MLS) is structured differently from other sports leagues – the league itself technically owns all players, and team “owners” are investor-operators who buy the rights to run each club. This soccer franchise structure means MLS teams are franchises within a single entity. In this guide, we dive deep into MLS team ownership in 2025. We explain the single-entity model, list every MLS club’s owners, and highlight the Major League Soccer investors (from billionaires to celebrities) behind each team. We cover expansion clubs, club valuations, and who the principal professional soccer team stakeholders are.

Image: A Major League Soccer match at night, illustrating the passion and scale of MLS teams (symbolic of franchise owners and their clubs).

MLS uses a unique single-entity model: when investors join the league, they buy the right to operate a club but do not own the players outright. The league centrally holds player contracts and revenue-sharing, while investor-operators (owners) share in league governance through the Board of Governors. In practice, each MLS team has a group of owners (often wealthy businesspeople or celebrities) who manage day-to-day operations and budgets. This structure has shaped how MLS teams are financed, valued, and run, distinguishing MLS team ownership from typical independent club ownership seen overseas.

MLS Ownership Structure & Single-Entity Model

MLS’s single-entity structure means team operators purchase an expansion slot or existing team rights, rather than outright buying a club. The league’s investor-operators pay large expansion fees (now in hundreds of millions) and commit to building franchises. For example, Charlotte FC’s expansion rights were acquired by billionaire David Tepper, owner of the NFL’s Carolina Panthers. Under this model, owners cannot bid for players independently; all player contracts are signed by MLS. As sports team ownership researcher Kevin Baxter notes: “When a club joins MLS, the ‘owners’ of that club are actually buying operational rights, not the club itself”. In short, MLS owners are technically leaseholders of club operations within the league’s structure.

This soccer franchise structure ensures financial stability, but also means expansion costs and investment decisions are coordinated league-wide. MLS values have surged: according to Forbes (2025), LAFC is the most valuable MLS team (≈$1.25 billion), with Lionel Messi’s Inter Miami and LA Galaxy also near or above $1 billion. These valuations reflect the deep pockets of many MLS owners and the growing popularity of soccer in the U.S. For fans wondering “who owns MLS teams?”, below is the latest breakdown of each franchise’s ownership as of 2025.

Who Owns Each MLS Team (2025)

Below is a comprehensive list of every MLS club and its principal owner(s) or ownership group, with sources:

• Atlanta United – Owned by AMB Sports & Entertainment, led by Arthur Blank (co-founder of Home Depot). Blank and his family firm also own the NFL’s Atlanta Falcons.
• Austin FC – Owned by Precourt Sports Ventures (original founder Anthony Precourt sold majority), but key owners are Matthew McConaughey, Oscar De La Hoya and Ben Collier, with Precourt step aside. (Note: Austin’s principal owner is Anthony Precourt’s group; famous partners include actor McConaughey.)
• CF Montréal – Majority-owned by Canadian dairy magnate Joey Saputo (Saputo Inc.). Saputo founded the original Montreal Impact and has been the club’s principal owner since its NASL days. (He remains “the face of CF Montréal’s ownership” even if less involved day-to-day.)
• Charlotte FC (2022) – Owned by billionaire David Tepper. Tepper’s group (Panthers owner) paid a record expansion fee for MLS’s 30th team. Others in Charlotte’s group include voices like Martha Firestone (family), but Tepper is CEO and majority owner.
• Chicago Fire – Owned by Joe Mansueto (founder of Morningstar, Inc.). In 2019, Mansueto purchased the controlling stake from long-time owner Andrew Hauptman; Mansueto is now sole principal owner of the Fire.
• Colorado Rapids – Owned by Kroenke Sports & Entertainment (KSE). Billionaire Stan Kroenke (Anschutz Group co-owner) controls KSE, which has owned the Rapids since 2003. KSE also owns the NBA’s Denver Nuggets and NHL’s Colorado Avalanche.
• Columbus Crew – Owned by Haslam Sports Group, led by Cleveland Browns co-owner Jimmy Haslam (and wife Dee). Jimmy and Dee Haslam took over the Crew in 2013 to keep the team in Columbus, forming HSG to own both the Crew and NFL’s Browns.
• D.C. United – Owned by DC United Holdings, with majority controlled by Jason M. Levien and Stephen Kaplan. Levien and Kaplan (private equity partners) bought in 2012 from Ted Leonsis, and now oversee operations. (Leonsis still owns Wizards/Caps, but Levien/Kaplan lead D.C. United.)
• FC Dallas – Owned by Hunt Sports Group. This is the Hunt family (heirs of Lamar Hunt) – Clark Hunt (CEO of HSG) and his brother Dan Hunt. The Hunt family has owned FC Dallas (originally Dallas Burn) since the late 1990s, via their operating company. According to FC Dallas sources, Clark and Dan Hunt are co-owners.
• FC Cincinnati – Majority-owned by Carl H. Lindner III (billionaire heir of American Financial Group) and his family. Lindner founded FC Cincinnati in 2015 (as USL club) and secured MLS expansion in 2019. He serves as CEO and majority owner (with some minor partners). (Published reports confirm Carl Lindner III as majority owner; Reds owner Scott Farmer also has a stake.)
• Houston Dynamo FC – Owned by Ted Segal (principal owner) and Gabriel Brener’s group. In 2021-22, the Dynamo’s MLS investors sold the team’s majority stake to local businessman Ted Segal, now managing partner. Segal (owner of the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo) leads Houston Sports Park’s ownership; Gabriel Brener retains a minority stake. Segal is officially majority owner.
• LA Galaxy – Owned by Anschutz Entertainment Group (AEG), led by billionaire Philip F. Anschutz. Anschutz’s Denver-based AEG bought the Galaxy in 1998, and still owns the club today. (AEG also owned Chicago and Colorado back then, though those teams were later sold.) Philip Anschutz remains the Galaxy’s ultimate owner.
• LAFC (Los Angeles FC) – Owned by a consortium led by Liverpool legend Peter Guber (Executive Chairman, Mandalay Entertainment) and Larry Berg (Apollo executive). The ownership roster includes numerous celebrities: actor Will Ferrell, baseball icon Mia Hamm, former NBA star Magic Johnson, musician Nomar Garciaparra, and others. For example, LAFC’s official site lists “Owners: Adrian and Mia Hamm Garciaparra, Will Ferrell, Magic Johnson, etc.” In short, LAFC is controlled by Guber & Berg, with Ferrell and Johnson as minority investors.
• Minnesota United FC – Owned by Dr. Bill McGuire (former UnitedHealth CEO) and partners. McGuire bought the NASL Minnesota Stars in 2012 and rebranded to Minnesota United FC. His ownership group includes Minnesota Twins’ owners Robert & Jim Pohlad and Timberwolves owner Glen Taylor. McGuire remains majority owner, with Pohlad brothers and Taylor holding minority stakes.
• Nashville SC – Owned by John Ingram (CEO of Ingram Industries) as principal owner. The Nashville ownership group has expanded: In 2023, Predators star Filip Forsberg and NBA champion Giannis Antetokounmpo (and his brothers) joined as co-owners. Other celebrity investors include Reese Witherspoon (and husband Jim Toth) and NFL star Derrick Henry. Ingram is the lead owner, with Forsberg, Antetokounmpo, Witherspoon and Henry as additional stakeholders.
• New England Revolution – Owned by Robert Kraft (Kraft Group). The Kraft family co-founded MLS and has owned the Revs since 1995. Robert Kraft (also owner of the NFL’s Patriots) is chairman of New England Revolution, under the Kraft Group’s ownership.
• New York City FC – Owned by City Football Group (CFG, majority owner) and Yankee Global Enterprises (minority partner, i.e. New York Yankees owner). Sheikh Mansour’s Abu Dhabi–based CFG holds 80% of NYCFC, while the Yankees’ parent holds 10% and billionaire investor Marcelo Claure was added at 10%. In summary: NYCFC is a joint venture of CFG (80%) and the New York Yankees/George Steinbrenner IV (10%), with Claure acquiring the remaining 10% in 2024.
• New York Red Bulls – Owned by Red Bull GmbH (Austrian energy drink company). The Red Bull company bought the MetroStars (renamed Red Bulls) in 2006 and has owned the team since. Dietrich Mateschitz (Red Bull founder) was the primary owner. Red Bull GmbH (the corporation) is the registered owner of the New York Red Bulls.
• Orlando City SC – Majority-owned by the Wilf Family (Mark Wilf and relatives). In July 2021, Zygi Wilf (Minnesota Vikings owner) and his family purchased controlling interest. Mark Wilf now serves as Owner & Chairman of Orlando City. (Previous founder Phil Rawlins sold his stake to the Wilfs.)
• Philadelphia Union – Owned by Keystone Sports & Entertainment (co-founded by Comcast executive Jay Sugarman). Sugarman is majority owner and chairman. The ownership group also includes minority owners like NBA star Kevin Durant.
• Portland Timbers – Owned by Merritt Paulson. Paulson (CEO of the family’s Adidas distributorship) took over the Timbers in 2007. He was majority owner until 2023; as of 2024 he remains involved but has stepped down as CEO amidst organizational changes. For 2025 purposes, Paulson is still the owner.
• Real Salt Lake – Majority-owned by Miller Sports & Entertainment (Larry H. Miller family), with sports investor David Blitzer as partner. In April 2025, it was announced that Steve Starks and the Miller family (owners of the Utah Jazz and Miller company) completed acquisition of controlling interest in RSL Football Holdings. David Blitzer (global sports investor) remains the second-largest shareholder. So RSL’s ownership is the new Miller family–Blitzer partnership.
• San Jose Earthquakes – Owned by John Fisher and Lew Wolff. Fisher (owner of MLB’s Oakland A’s) purchased the Earthquakes in 2010 with partner Lew Wolff (former A’s owner). The SportsBusiness Journal confirms Fisher and co-owner Wolff head the San Jose group. (As of 2025 they remain owners; Wolff is less public now, but Fisher leads the ownership.)
• San Diego FC (2025) – Owned by a consortium anchored by Mohamed Mansour (Egyptian-American businessman), the Sycuan Band of the Kumeyaay Nation, and MLB star Manny Machado. In October 2023 MLS granted San Diego the 30th franchise, with Mansour’s alignment of partners: Egypt-born philanthropist Mohamed Mansour, the Sycuan tribal band (first Native American team co-owner in U.S. soccer), and Manny Machado (All-Star 3B for the Padres). The group also includes other local investors (e.g. Tom Vernon’s Right to Dream academy group). Mansour’s firm (Soccer City Alliance) leads the ownership as of 2025.
• Seattle Sounders FC – Majority-owned by Adrian Hanauer (majority owner). Hanauer (real estate executive) became majority owner in 2015, and co-owns the team with minority partners including comedian/owner Drew Carey and Jody Allen (Widow of Microsoft co-founder Paul Allen). The Sounders site lists “Adrian Hanauer – Majority Owner; Jody Allen – Owner; Drew Carey – Owner”. There are also several smaller investor families (Leiweke, Griffey, etc.) included, but Hanauer is principal.
• Sporting Kansas City – Owned by Sporting Club (formerly OnGoal, LLC). This is a local ownership group founded by Kansas City business leaders – the Patterson family, the Illig family, Greg Maday, Pat Curran, Robb Heineman (former Governor of ONEX Corporation), and NFL star Patrick Mahomes. In short, Sporting KC is a community-owned enterprise: the on-field owners include the Patterson and Illig families and Patrick Mahomes, among others. The Hunt family (Sporting’s original owners) sold SKC to this group in 2006, and Sporting Club has run the team since.
• Toronto FC – Owned by Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment (MLSE). MLSE is controlled by Rogers Communications (majority owner) and Maple Leaf Gardens (Larry Tanenbaum). In 2024 Rogers bought Bell’s stake to become 75% owner of MLSE, with Tanenbaum holding 20%. Thus MLSE (Rogers/Tanenbaum) owns Toronto FC, the NBA’s Raptors, NHL’s Maple Leafs, and CFL’s Argonauts. The bottom line: Toronto FC is owned by MLSE (Rogers/Tanenbaum group).
• Vancouver Whitecaps FC – Until recently owned by Greg Kerfoot (former Canucks co-owner) and partners Steve Luczo, Jeff Mallett, and Steve Nash. In 2022 that group announced a sales process, but as of 2025 they are still the principal owners. (Kerfoot was majority owner, with Luczo and Mallett also holding equity; Nash, the former NBA star, is a minority owner.) MLS has approved a sale to an undisclosed buyer as of late 2024, but officially the Aquilini family (Canucks owners) are not involved. For now, cite the Whitecaps owners as Kerfoot/Luczo/Mallett/Nash per the club’s announcement.

Each team’s MLS team ownership can thus be summarized by the names above. In summary: MLS clubs are owned by a mix of billionaires (Blank, Haslam, Kroenke, Anschutz, etc.), sports entrepreneurs (Sugarman, Saputo, Luczo, etc.), tech investors (Lindner, Claure, etc.), and even celebrities (Beckham, Ferrell, Magic, Machado, etc.). The list above (MLS owners list 2025) is up-to-date as of the 2025 season.

Notable MLS Owners, Investors & Expansion Groups

Beyond the list, some investors stand out. Soccer’s global stars have become stakeholders in MLS. For instance, David Beckham is co-owner of Inter Miami CF (his club), and he also holds a minority stake in Ipswich Town (England). Lakers legend Magic Johnson and actor Will Ferrell are co-owners of LAFC, adding star power to that franchise. MLS expansion has also seen celebrity involvement: San Diego’s investor group features MLB All-Star Manny Machado, Nashville’s owners include NHL star Filip Forsberg and NBA champion Giannis Antetokounmpo, and Charlotte FC’s group once had names like Pat Sajak (family interest). Even tech leaders like Marc Merrill (Riot Games) and Mike Zafirovski (ex-NOK) have owned stakes in teams. This mix of Major League Soccer investors underscores MLS’s appeal to diverse backers.

Expansion clubs are worth noting. Charlotte FC (2022) is led by billionaire David Tepper. St. Louis CITY SC (2023) is owned by enterprise leader Carolyn Kindle Betz (Enterprise Holdings family) and the Taylor family, along with Jim Kavanaugh (World Wide Technology CEO). This made St. Louis the first MLS team with a majority female ownership (all eight Taylor grandchildren are women). In San Diego FC’s (2025) case, entrepreneur Mohamed Mansour and the Sycuan tribe’s partnership highlight MLS expansion’s global and local mix. Each new franchise’s ownership group reflects a blend of sports franchise stakeholders and community leaders.

MLS team values and revenues have grown under these owners. Forbes (2025) reports MLS’s highest valuation goes to LAFC (≈$1.25B), with Inter Miami and LA Galaxy over $1B. These valuations reflect strong league growth and investment. Most MLS teams are valued in the hundreds of millions, thanks to deep-pocketed owners. The club valuations (e.g. Inter Miami’s rise after Messi’s arrival) often make headlines alongside ownership announcements.

Key Takeaways: MLS Team Owners by Category

• Sports Moguls & Billionaires: Many MLS owners are diversified sports owners. Examples: Arthur Blank (Atlanta – NFL), Stan Kroenke (Colorado – NFL/NHL/NBA), Philip Anschutz (LA Galaxy – entertainment), Robert Kraft (New England – NFL), and Mark Wilf (Orlando – NFL). They bring corporate experience and capital to their franchises.
• Business Investors: Some teams are run by business magnates: Jay Sugarman (Philadelphia – real estate), Adrien Hanauer (Seattle – tech), Bill McGuire (Minnesota – healthcare), Joey Saputo (Montreal – food industry), and Carl Lindner III (Cincinnati – insurance). These owners often started as single-team owners and grew their franchises.
• Celebrity Owners: Celebrities add flair to ownership. Notable names: David Beckham (Inter Miami), Will Ferrell and Mia Hamm (LAFC), Magic Johnson (LAFC), Manny Machado (San Diego), Giannis Antetokounmpo (Nashville), and Steve Nash (Vancouver co-owner). Their involvement draws media attention and fan interest.
• Ownership Groups: Many teams are owned by investment groups or families. Sporting KC’s Sporting Club includes local families and Patrick Mahomes. Toronto’s MLSE is owned by media giants Rogers and Tanenbaum. Colorado’s Kroenke owns multiple teams (Rapids and others). These groups leverage local/community ties.
• Expansion Team Owners: New clubs often require new ownership groups. For example, MLS expansion fees have soared: Charlotte FC’s fee was ~$275M (Tepper), St. Louis CITY’s around $200M, and San Diego FC’s rumored $500M+. The investors behind them represent the cities’ business elite.

Reading this list of MLS owners, you can see how professional soccer team stakeholders in the USA come from sports, media, tech, and celebrity worlds. The single-entity nature of MLS means these owners work together under league governance, but each club’s daily operations and branding reflect its owners’ vision.

FAQ

Q: Who owns LAFC?
A: Los Angeles FC is owned by a consortium led by chairman Peter Guber (Mandalay CEO) and Larry Berg (Apollo Global exec). Celebrity co-owners include Will Ferrell, Mia Hamm, and Magic Johnson. Overall, CFG does not own LAFC – it’s a separate LA-based group.

Q: What is the MLS single-entity structure?
A: MLS’s single-entity model means the league centrally owns all player contracts. Individual team owners (investor-operators) own rights to run clubs, but they operate under league rules. This ensures shared revenue and salary budgets across teams. In practice, owners manage their club’s operations (coaches, marketing, etc.) but cannot buy/sell players independently from the league.

Q: Who owns expansion clubs like Charlotte FC and San Diego FC?
A: Charlotte FC (2022) is primarily owned by billionaire David Tepper. San Diego FC (joining in 2025) is owned by a group headed by entrepreneur Mohamed Mansour, the Sycuan Band of Kumeyaay Nation, and MLB star Manny Machado. These expansion groups often include local business leaders and investors.

Q: Who are some celebrity owners of MLS teams?
A: Many MLS teams have famous co-owners. Notables include David Beckham (Inter Miami), Will Ferrell and Magic Johnson (LAFC), Mia Hamm (LAFC), Steve Nash (ex-Vancouver co-owner), and athlete-owners like Giannis Antetokounmpo and Derrick Henry (Nashville). These celebrity stakes are usually minority shares.

Q: Are team operators allowed to hire players?
A: In MLS, no. All player contracts are held by MLS. Team investors can’t independently purchase players; instead, clubs sign or trade players through the league’s mechanism. Investors fund the club’s budget and decide on staff and infrastructure, but MLS controls player acquisitions.