2026 Official Match Ball Assets: Please see our Facebook Page SLIM(soccerLongIslandmagazine)
NEW YORK (Jan. 2, 2026) – adidas and Major League Soccer today unveiled the 2026 MLS Official Match Ball, a bold red, white, and blue design that celebrates the people, pitches, and passion that define soccer in North America as the region prepares to take center stage during the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
As the MLS season opens the weekend of February 21–22, the 2026 MLS Official Match Ball transforms its surface into a living map of the game. Embedded within the design are the GPS coordinates of all 30 MLS stadiums, along with visual references to MLS Cup trophy handles, club crests, stars, and maple leaves—uniting the United States and Canada through a shared visual language.
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Engineered for elite performance, the ball features a precision four-panel construction with deeper seams to balance drag and deliver a more consistent, stable flight path. Embossed surface detailing enhances grip and control, particularly in wet or humid conditions, ensuring confidence on every touch and strike.
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.
The 2026 MLS Official Match Ball will be used in all Major League Soccer matches throughout the 2026 regular season and Audi MLS Cup Playoffs.
Marquee Matches for MLS is Back Weekend Feb. 21-22
The 2026 season kicks off in style as February 21 and 22 see a full slate of 15 season-opening matches. St. Louis CITY SC plays host to Charlotte FC at Energizer Park to ring in the new season (2:30 p.m. ET, Apple TV) before FC Cincinnati hosts Tata Martino’s Atlanta United at TQL Stadium for the first of 34 FOX Sports matches in 2026 (4:30 p.m. ET, FOX, FOX Deportes, Apple TV). The highlight of the night will see Los Angeles Football Club take on Inter Miami CF in an iconic setting, hosting the match at the storied Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum (9:30 p.m. ET, Apple TV). The following day will see a doubleheader that begins with LA Galaxy hosting New York City FC for Sunday Night Soccer presented by Continental Tire (7 p.m. ET, Apple TV), and FS1 showcasing the Western Conference clash between Seattle Sounders FC and Colorado Rapids (9 p.m. ET, FS1, FOX Deportes, Apple TV).
