Why You Can Trust CNET MLS Season Pass on Apple TV: How to Stream Every Major League Soccer Game in 2024
The top pro US soccer league is off and running in 2024, and Apple's streaming service is the only way to catch every match.
This year is the second that Apple TV is offering MLS Season Pass.
After its first season of streaming every MLS soccer match, Apple TV is back in form for the 2024 professional US soccer season with this year's version of MLS Season Pass (and it's not raising prices like some other streaming services). Once again, Apple TV Plus will be the exclusive streaming host of every MLS game this year.
MLS Season Pass lets you watch soccer matches on TVs, phones and other devices. It costs $13 a month or $79 for the season if you're already a subscriber to the Apple TV Plus streaming service. If you don't subscribe to Apple TV Plus, MLS Season Pass costs $15 a month or $99 for the season.
There are no blackouts for local games and no need to switch between different apps or channels to find different matches. With the exception of 34 matches that will also air on Fox and FS1, Apple TV is the only way to watch MLS games, Leagues Cup matches or games from MLS Next. And it's not only available in the US: Soccer fans in over 100 countries can subscribe, including Canada, Mexico, the UK and Australia.
Apple TV is offering a special promotion for MLS Season Pass on the weekend of March 16-17, 2024. All MLS matches -- 12 on Saturday and 2 on Sunday -- will be free for everyone this weekend so long as you have an Apple ID, regardless of whether you have MLS Season Pass.
Here's everything you need to know about how to watch Major League Soccer on Apple TV this year.
MLS on Apple FAQs
How much will MLS on Apple cost?
Apple will charge $13 a month for an MLS Season Pass to those who already pay for Apple TV Plus. Since an Apple TV Plus subscription costs $10 a month, the total monthly fee for subscribers is $23 per month.
If you aren't an Apple TV Plus subscriber, the monthly rate will be $15 a month.
Soccer fans looking to save can get a full season for a one-time charge -- it costs $79 for Apple TV Plus members or $99 for those who don't subscribe to the service.
Will there be free MLS games available?
Yes. Every week Apple will make some of its Saturday matches available for free without the need to sign up for an MLS Season Pass or for Apple TV Plus, though you will need to log in with an Apple ID, which you can set up for free.
On the weekend of March 16 and 17, 2024, all MLS matches, including Saturday's much-anticipated showdown between Lionel Messi's league-leading Inter Miami squad and four-time MLS Cup winner D.C. United -- will be streamed for free so long as you have an Apple ID.
A full schedule for MLS games, including which ones will be available for free, can be found on the MLS website.
Do I need Apple TV Plus to get an MLS Season Pass?
No, you don't need to subscribe to the Apple TV Plus streaming service to get an MLS Season Pass. The two services are separate, but Apple TV Plus members get a $2 discount monthly or a $20 discount on the full season price.
Do I need an iPhone, Mac or Apple TV box to watch Apple's MLS games?
No, you don't. Apple will offer its MLS Season Pass on numerous devices and platforms. That includes not only the company's own gadgets and services but also TVs, phones, tablets and computers made by other manufacturers.
What devices do I need to watch Apple's soccer games?
You can watch the games on any device that has the Apple TV app, including TVs, phones, tablets and computers. This includes iPhones, iPads, Apple TVs and Macs as well as smart TVs and streaming devices that run the Roku, Amazon Fire TV, Android TV and Google TV platforms.
If you have a game console, there's an Apple TV app for Microsoft's Xbox One and Xbox Series S and X, and Sony's PlayStation 4 and PS5. Recent TVs from Samsung, LG, Sony and Vizio also have Apple TV apps. More details on supported devices can be found on Apple's site.
Can I watch MLS games on Android, Chrome or Windows devices?
Yes. Although Apple does not have Apple TV apps for Android phones and tablets or Windows computers, it does let you stream its shows, and MLS games, using a web browser by going to tv.apple.com.
You will need to sign in to or create an Apple account to watch the games.
Are MLS games available on regular TV channels?
No. With the exception of 34 games that will also air on Fox or FS1 (all of which will also be shown on Fox Deportes in Spanish), MLS broadcasts are exclusive to Apple, so you will not be able to watch any of the other matches on your local regional sports network, your cable or satellite package or on a live TV streaming service.
Which announcers are calling the games?
Apple has lined up a slew of more than 80 broadcasters to call games in English and Spanish. Games featuring Canadian teams will also be broadcast in French.
Full details on the broadcast crews can be found here.
Will the games stream in 4K?
No. Apple will broadcast MLS and Leagues Cup games in 1080p HD, not 4K. For audio, these contests will feature Dolby 5.1 sound.