TikTok is ramping up its involvement with Major League Soccer (MLS) in 2025, extending a multiyear agreement that includes four specially streamed matches featuring Lionel Messi. The expanded “Player Spotlight: Messi” series will debut on August 2 with Inter Miami vs Necaxa in the Leagues Cup, broadcasting live via TikTok’s @MLS and @InterMiamiCF accounts, and simulcast to Apple TV audiences.
The collaboration exists alongside MLS’s existing global distribution contract with Apple TV’s MLS Season Pass, a 10-year, $2.5 billion deal that launched in 2023. While Apple provides full access to all MLS and Leagues Cup matches, TikTok’s approach adds a social and personalized layer—leveraging fan-favorite moments and viral content formats that suit real-time interaction. This user-focused livestream format proved highly successful last season, drawing over 6.4 million live viewers for Messi’s MLS playoff debut—the highest ever audience for a U.S. sports event on TikTok.
Beyond Messi-centric coverage, the broader partnership renewal deepens TikTok’s role in MLS’s digital strategy. The platform will continue to offer behind-the-scenes content, highlight reels, and interactive fan experiences that align with its algorithm-driven audience engagement model, particularly among younger viewers.
