The following is a list of the television networks and announcers that have broadcast the MLS Cup, which is the annual championship game of Major League Soccer (MLS) and the culmination of the MLS Cup Playoffs.
The MLS Cup Final was aired on English-language networks ABC from 1996 to 2008 and ESPN from 2009 to 2014. ESPN/ABC and Fox alternate as MLS Cup Final broadcasters since 2015, with the MLS Cup 2019 on ABC, their first MLS match since 2008. ABC also air four playoff matches including the MLS Cup 2021. The MLS Cup has also been aired on Spanish-language networks TeleFutura in 2007 and 2008, Galavision from 2009 to 2011,MLS Cup viewers on UniMas surpass those on ESPN - Soccer America, December 10, 2013 TeleFutura/UniMás from 2012 to 2018, and Univision in 2019. ABC previously had Spanish announcers under secondary audio program.
Television 2020s YearNetworkPlay-by-playColor commentator(s)Sideline reporter(s)Studio hostStudio analyst(s)Rules analyst(s)2025FoxJohn StrongStuart HoldenMaurice EduJohn StrongStuart Holden and Maurice EduJoe MachnikTSN1Luke WilemanSteven CaldwellFarhan LaljiCamila GonzalezKevin KilbaneJoe FletcherApple TVJake ZivinTaylor TwellmanJillian SakovitsKevin EganBradley Wright-Phillips, Dax McCarty, Sacha Kljestan, and Kaylyn Kyle2024FoxJohn StrongStuart HoldenJenny TaftStuart Holden and Alexi LalasJoe MachnikTSN1Apple TVJake ZivinTaylor TwellmanJillian SakovitsKevin Egan and Andrew WiebeBradley Wright-Phillips, Sacha Kljestan, and Kaylyn Kyle Christina Unkel2023FoxJohn StrongStuart HoldenJenny Taft rowspan=2 rowspan=2 Joe MachnikTSN4Apple TVJake ZivinTaylor TwellmanKatie WithamLiam McHugh and Andrew WiebeBradley Wright-Phillips, Sacha Kljestan, and Kaylyn KyleChristina Unkel2022FoxJohn StrongStuart HoldenKyndra de St. AubinRodolfo LanderosAlexi Lalas and Maurice EduJoe MachnikTSN12021ABCJon ChampionTaylor TwellmanSam BordenSebastian SalazarAlejandro Moreno and Robin FraserMark ClattenburgTSN12020FoxJohn StrongStuart HoldenKatie WithamRob StoneAlexi Lalas and Maurice EduJoe MachnikTSN1
Notes With the new Apple TV deal beginning 2023, Fox Sports will be the only linear broadcaster of MLS, and will carry select MLS Cup playoff matches, and every MLS Cup with no alternate broadcaster starting 2023. The 2023 MLS Cup final was broadcast worldwide for free in English and Spanish on MLS Season Pass, a subscription streaming service operated by Apple under their Apple TV+ brand. The Apple broadcast included a one-hour pregame show, a post-match show, more than 20 cameras, and a drone for overhead shots. The English commentary team for Apple's broadcast includes play-by-play commentator Jake Zivin, color analyst Taylor Twellman, and sideline reporter Katie Witham; the Spanish team comprises play-by-play commentator Sammy Sadovnik, color analyst Eduardo Biscayart, and sideline reporter Antonella Gonzalez. In the United States, the match was also carried on terrestrial television by Fox Sports in English and Fox Deportes in Spanish. The English broadcast team for Fox comprises commentator John Strong, analyst Stu Holden, and reporter Jenny Taft. The Fox broadcast drew a 0.41 Nielsen rating with an average of 815,000 viewers, while Fox Deportes had 75,000 viewers; the combined viewership of 890,000 was less than half of the 2022 broadcast on Fox and Univision. In Canada, TSN carried the match in English and sister station Réseau des sports (RDS) broadcast it in French. The MLS Cup 2022 match was broadcast in the United States on Fox in English, and by Univision and TUDN in Spanish, with pre-game and post-game coverage. The Canadian broadcast was carried on The Sports Network in English and on TVA Sports in French. The Fox English commentary team included their crew for the FIFA World Cup, including play-by-play announcer John Strong, analyst Stuart Holden, and studio host Rodolfo Landeros. For Univision, Luis Omar Tapia and Ramses Sandoval provided play-by-play commentary for alternating halves with analysts Diego Balado and Marcelo Balboa. Fox used 24 conventional cameras, including four for slow motion replays, a skycam, and a helicopter, along with 14 field microphones. The match was also carried by ESPN International in Latin America and Africa, DAZN in Europe and Brazil, Abu Dhabi Sports in the Middle East and North Africa, and Sky Sports in the United Kingdom and Ireland. The U.S. broadcast drew 2.16 million viewers, with 1.49 million on Fox and 668,000 on Univision, and had a national Nielsen rating of 0.69. It was the second-largest domestic television audience for an MLS Cup final after the 1997 edition and increased by 38 percent from the 2021 edition. The match was also the second-most-watched club soccer broadcast of 2022 in the United States behind the UEFA Champions League Final. The MLS Cup final's penalty shootout was watched by approximately 26 percent of all households in the Philadelphia market; the market was also the largest for the Fox broadcast with a rating that averaged 4.78 (347,000 viewers) and peaked at 7.6 (552,000 viewers). The second-highest rating in the Houston market was one-third of Philadelphia's and is thought to have been affected by the World Series, which Fox broadcast immediately after the match. The largest market for the Univision broadcast was Los Angeles with a 1.06 rating, which made it the second-most-watched LAFC match in their home market after the 2019 Conference Semifinal against LA Galaxy. 2022 - Rodolfo Landeros filled in for Rob Stone due to the latter’s college football commitments. The 2021 match was broadcast in the United States on ABC in English and UniMás and TUDN in Spanish. The Canadian broadcast was carried on TSN in English and TVA Sports in French. The ABC broadcast featured Jon Champion as the play-by-play announcer and Taylor Twellman as color commentator, along with Sam Borden as sideline reporter and Mark Clattenburg as rules analyst. It was filmed with 28 cameras, including nine fixed cameras, four goalpost cameras, and a skycam above the pitch. The UniMás broadcast featured commentary from Luis Omar Tapia, Diego Balado, Ramses Sandoval, and Daniel Nohra. The match was also broadcast internationally in 200 countries, including on ESPN International in Latin America, the Caribbean, and Oceania. The ABC broadcast was watched by an average of 1.14 million viewers, peaking at 1.63 million during the penalty shootout. It was slightly higher than the Fox broadcast for MLS Cup 2020 and 38 percent higher than the MLS Cup 2019 broadcast on ABC, but lower than the Thanksgiving playoff match featuring Colorado and Portland. The top viewing markets included Portland, where the match garnered a 11.7 rating, Greenville, South Carolina, Seattle, and New York City. The UniMás and TUDN broadcast in Spanish drew 354,000 viewers. The 2020 match was broadcast in English by Fox in the United States and TSN in Canada. UniMás and Univision Deportes carried the Spanish broadcast in the United States, while TVA Sports carried the French broadcast in Canada. The match was also broadcast in 190 countries by several international networks, including ESPN Latin America, BeIN Sports, and Abu Dhabi Sports. The MLS Cup final was watched by 1.071 million spectators on Fox, an increase of 30 percent from 2019, and 459,000 on UniMás in the United States.
2010s YearNetworkPlay-by-playColor commentator(s)Sideline reporter(s)Studio hostStudio analyst(s)2019ABCJon ChampionTaylor Twellman Sebastian SalazarAdrian HealeyAlejandro Moreno and Kasey KellerTSN1Luke WilemanSteven CaldwellKristian JackJames DuthieTerry Dunfield2018FoxJohn StrongStuart HoldenKatie WithamRob StoneAlexi Lalas and Maurice EduTSN12017ESPNAdrian HealeyTaylor TwellmanJulie Stewart-BinksMax BretosAlejandro Moreno and Kasey KellerTSN1Luke WilemanSteven CaldwellKristian JackJames DuthieTerry Dunfield and Kristian Jack2016FoxJohn StrongBrad FriedelJulie Stewart-BinksRob StoneAlexi Lalas, Stuart Holden, and Eric WynaldaTSN1Luke WilemanSteven CaldwellVic RauterJames Duthie and Andi PetrilloKristian Jack, Greg Sutton, and Carl Robinson2015ESPNAdrian HealeyTaylor TwellmanMónica GonzálezMax BretosAlejandro Moreno and Kasey KellerTSN12014ESPNAdrian HealeyTaylor TwellmanMónica GonzálezMax BretosAlexi Lalas and Kasey KellerTSN12013ESPNAdrian HealeyTaylor TwellmanMónica GonzálezMax BretosAlexi Lalas, Kasey Keller, and Alejandro MorenoTSN22012ESPNAdrian HealeyTaylor TwellmanMónica GonzálezMax BretosAlexi Lalas, Kasey Keller, and Alejandro MorenoTSN22011ESPNIan DarkeJohn HarkesRob Stone and Mónica GonzálezMax BretosAlexi Lalas, Taylor Twellman, and Alejandro MorenoTSN22010ESPNIan DarkeJohn HarkesRob StoneMax BretosAlexi Lalas and Steve McManamanTSN2
Notes The 2019 match was broadcast in the United States in English on ABC and in Spanish on Univision; ABC would carry the match on its over-the-air stations for the first time since 2008. In Canada, coverage was provided by TSN4 in English and TVA Sports in French. In Central and South America, the match was broadcast by ESPN International in Spanish and Portuguese. On ABC, ESPN's Jon Champion called the play-by-play with color commentator Taylor Twellman, who also hosted previews on SportsCenter and ESPN+. The Univision broadcast featured Jorge Luis López Salido, Raúl Guzmán, Diego Balado, and Marcelo Balboa. The TSN broadcast, which included a simulcast on TSN Radio 1050 in the Toronto area, was headlined by play-by-play commentator Luke Wileman and color analyst Steven Caldwell. On ESPN International, Spanish commentary was provided by Mauricio Pedroza and Herculez Gomez in Central America, and Hernán De Lorenzi and Pedro Wolff in South America. Portuguese commentary was done by Everaldo Marques and Gustavo Hofman. The ABC broadcast averaged 823,000 viewers and peaked in the second half with 1.1 million viewers, including a 13.2 local rating in the Seattle–Tacoma market. The Univision broadcast averaged 447,000 viewers; the TSN4 broadcast in Canada averaged 748,000 viewers. The 2018 MLS Cup final was broadcast in English by Fox in the United States and TSN in Canada. UniMás and Univision Deportes carried the Spanish broadcast in the United States, while TVA Sports carried the French broadcast in Canada. Fox's broadcast was led by play-by-play announcer John Strong, color analyst Stuart Holden, and sideline reporter Katie Witham. The pre-match show was anchored by Rob Stone, Alexi Lalas, and Maurice Edu, with guest appearances from U.S. national team manager Gregg Berhalter and MLS commissioner Don Garber. Fox used a total of 26 cameras for its broadcast, including a new corner flag camera, similar to end zone pylon cameras used in American football broadcasts. UniMás's broadcast was anchored by play-by-play commentators Raúl Guzmán and José Luis López Salido, alongside color analysts Diego Balado and Marcelo Balboa. The Fox broadcast on terrestrial television earned a 1.2 metered market rating, the highest for an MLS Cup final since 1998. The broadcast drew an average of approximately 1.56 million viewers, representing a 91 percent increase from Fox's last broadcast in 2016. The 2017 MLS Cup final was broadcast in English by ESPN in the United States and TSN in Canada. UniMás and Univision Deportes carried the Spanish broadcast in the United States, while TVA Sports carried the French broadcast in Canada. For ESPN, Adrian Healey, Taylor Twellman, and Julie Stewart-Binks called the match, with pre-game and post-game coverage conducted by Max Bretos, Kasey Keller, and Alejandro Moreno. For TSN, Luke Wileman and Steven Caldwell called the match, with pre-game and post-game coverage conducted by James Duthie, alongside Terry Dunfield and Kristian Jack. For UniMás and Univision Deportes, Raul Guzmán, Marcelo Balboa, and Diego Balado called the match.