Major League Soccer and Polymarket announced a multi-year partnership on Monday, Jan. 26, as the biggest North American professional soccer league joined the NHL and UFC on the growing list of sports entities willing to embrace the rising popularity surrounding prediction markets.
Polymarket will serve as the official and exclusive prediction market partner for MLS regular-season games, the MLS All-Star Game, the MLS Cup and Leagues Cup under the agreement. Terms were not disclosed, but MLS officials cited a desire to preserve the integrity of the sport since MLS games were already featured on prediction market offerings.
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The league said in its announcement, “the partnership includes safeguards designed to protect the integrity of MLS and Leagues Cup matches, including independent monitoring of trading activities and collaboration on MLS and Leagues Cup markets offered.”
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“Partnering with Polymarket allows us to integrate prediction markets as a new fan engagement format and position MLS as an early leader among global soccer properties,” MLS deputy commissioner Gary Stevenson said in a statement.
The NHL became the first major North American professional sports league to sign a deal with a prediction market in October 2025 when it also came to an agreement with Polymarket. UFC announced its own arrangement with Polymarket in November. The Chicago Blackhawks then became the first U.S-based team to partner with a prediction market platform in December when it announced an agreement with Kalshi. Earlier this month, the New York Rangers also signed an agreement with Polymarket.
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Prediction markets like Polymarket and Kalshi have come under increasing scrutiny and legal challenges as their mainstream popularity and influence increases. Both companies argue they do not offer gambling services and function more like the stock exchange, with customers trading on yes or no outcomes of events.
Prediction markets have been able to operate legally in all 50 states to this point due to that caveat. But Kalshi is facing lawsuits from gambling regulators in multiple states that allege prediction markets break state laws by offering markets that mimic sports bet.
MLS is among those undeterred. The league said it plans to develop new fan experiences across MLS digital platforms with Polymarket beginning with its 2026 season, focusing on enhancing the live match experience and second-screen engagement for fans.
Polymarket is currently an invite-only platform in the U.S. that requires potential users to join its waitlist.
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“Through our partnership with MLS and Leagues Cup, we can surface real-time collective sentiment around key moments, matches, and season-long storylines,” Polymarket founder and CEO Shayne Coplan said, “giving fans a more interactive, data-driven way to experience the game and engage with the world’s most popular sport.”
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: MLS signs prediction market deal with Polymarket, joining NHL, UFC
