- 2021 season to date audience up 39 percent compared to 2019 season average
- MLS on ABC and ESPN networks on-track to deliver most-watched season since 2000
- Coverage of MLS’s 26th season continues with doubleheader on Friday
- ESPN+ continues expansive MLS Live streaming of all Out-of-Market matches
The 2021 Major League Soccer season on ABC and ESPN networks had delivered an average audience of 384,000 viewers (P2+) through 18 matches, a 50 percent increase compared to the 2020 regular-season average (257,000).
Compared to the 2019 regular-season average (277,000 viewers), the audience of 384,000 average viewers for MLS on ABC and ESPN networks represents a 39 percent increase in viewership through 18 matches in 2021.
Highlights:
- With 358,000 average viewers season to date, ABC, ESPN and ESPN2 combined are currently on track to deliver Major League Soccer’s most-watched season since 2000 (378,000 viewers across the same three English-language networks)
- The five ABC matches this season – the most MLS matches on the broadcast network since 1998 – delivered an average audience of 507,000 viewers. Last year, three ABC matches averaged 318,000 viewers.
Top-five MLS matches on ABC and ESPN networks in 2021:
| Date | Match | Network | Viewers (P2+) |
| Sun, May 9 | Portland Timbers vs. Seattle Sounders | ABC | 620,000 |
| Inter Miami CF vs. Atlanta United | ABC | 557,000 | |
| Sun, Jun 20 | Atlanta United vs. Philadelphia Union | ESPN | 546,000 |
| Sat, Apr 24 | LAFC vs. Seattle Sounders | ESPN | 499,000 |
| Sun, Apr 18 | Inter Miami CF vs. LA Galaxy | ABC | 482,000 |
2021 MLS on ESPN Continues Friday with a MLS Heineken Rivalry Week doubleheader
ESPN coverage of the 26th season of Major League Soccer continues with three MLS Heineken Rivalry Week matches this weekend, including a doubleheader on Friday: Columbus Crew vs. FC Cincinnati at 6:30 p.m. ET, and Orlando City SC vs. Inter Miami CF at 8:30 p.m. The Cascadia Cup – Seattle Sounders vs. Portland Timbers on Sunday at 10:30 p.m. – will round out the weekend of rivalry matches. All three games will be on ESPN, ESPN Deportes, and available on the ESPN App.
El Tráfico – the matchup between crosstown rivals LA Galaxy and Los Angeles FC – on Sunday, Oct. 3, at 8 p.m. is one of the remaining 12 matches across ESPN, ESPN2 and ESPN Deportes as MLS teams compete for spots in the 2021 MLS Cup Playoffs.
MLS Cup: ABC will be home to MLS Cup 2021 on Saturday, Dec. 11, at 3 p.m. – the 23rd time in 26 years that Major League Soccer’s champion has been crowned on a Walt Disney Company media network.
2021 MLS on ESPN, ESPN2 and ESPN Deportes – Schedule:
| Date | Time (ET) | Match | Networks |
| Fri, Aug 27 | 6:30 p.m. | Columbus Crew vs. FC Cincinnati | ESPN, ESPN Deportes |
| 8:30 p.m. | Orlando City SC vs. Inter Miami CF | ESPN, ESPN Deportes | |
| Sun, Aug 29 | 10:30 p.m. | Seattle Sounders vs. Portland Timbers | ESPN, ESPN Deportes |
| Sun, Sep 19 | 4 p.m. | Philadelphia Union vs. Orlando City SC | ESPN, ESPN Deportes |
| Sun, Sep 26 | 9:30 p.m. | Austin FC vs. LA Galaxy | ESPN2, ESPN Deportes |
| Sun, Oct 3 | 8 p.m. | LA Galaxy vs. Los Angeles FC | ESPN, ESPN Deportes |
| Sun, Oct 10 | 5 p.m. | Minnesota United vs. Colorado Rapids | ESPN, ESPN3 (Spanish) |
| Sun, Oct 17 | 1 p.m. | New York Red Bulls vs. New York City FC | ESPN, ESPN Deportes |
| Sun, Oct 24 | 4 p.m. | Austin FC vs. Houston Dynamo | ESPN, ESPN Deportes |
| Tue, Oct 26 | 10:30 p.m. | Los Angeles FC vs. Seattle Sounders | ESPN, ESPN Deportes |
| Sun, Oct. 31 | 1 p.m. | Minnesota United vs. Sporting Kansas City | ESPN, ESPN Deportes |
| Sun, Nov 7 | 3:30 p.m. | TBD | ESPN, ESPN Deportes |
* Schedule Subject to Change
* All matches will stream live on the ESPN App
Exclusively on ESPN+ – 13 Out-of-Market MLS Games in two weeks
ESPN+ will continue its livestreaming of over 350 MLS Live Out-of-Market games for weeks 22 and 23 of the season. The industry-leading sports streaming service will carry 13 matches over the next two weekends beginning Friday at 7:30 p.m. with CF Montréal vs. Toronto FC in the Canadian Classique rivalry match.
Upcoming MLS Live on ESPN+ games:
| Date | Time (ET) | Event |
| Fri, Aug 27 | 7:30 p.m. | CF Montréal vs. Toronto FC |
| Sat, Aug 28 | 6 p.m. | Red Bulls New York vs. Chicago FC |
| 7:30 p.m. | New York City FC vs. New England Revolution | |
| 8 p.m. | DC United vs. Philadelphia Union | |
| 9 p.m. | Sporting Kansas City SC vs. Colorado Rapids | |
| 9 p.m. | Houston Dynamo vs. Minnesota United FC | |
| Sun, Aug 29 | 10 p.m. | Vancouver Whitecaps vs. Real Salt Lake |
| Fri, Sep 3 | 7:30 p.m. | Philadelphia Union vs. New England Revolution |
| 7:30 p.m. | Nashville SC vs. New York City FC | |
| 8 p.m. | Houston Dynamo vs. Portland Timbers | |
| Sat, Sep 4 | 7 p.m. | Vancouver Whitecaps vs. Austin FC |
| 7:30 p.m. | Orlando City SC vs. Columbus Crew | |
| 8 p.m. | FC Cincinnati vs. Inter Miami CF |
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