The MLS ball is an easily overlooked element of a soccer match, and of the league itself. Yet it holds more significance than people might realise.
After all, the design, size and weight all play a part in how each game concludes, not to mention bringing American soccer in line with the rest of the footballing world, while the supplier and sponsorship deals bring in millions in revenue each year.
The way the ball is constructed has changed a lot over time, and is now more technologically advanced than ever. It takes roughly 18 months for each new ball to go from conception, through the various build and testing stages, and then be signed off for use. We are talking about fine margins here and a lot of work goes into it.
Then there is the visual aspect. While the look of the ball was given little attention in the early days, now, every newly released MLS match ball contains a message or a theme. It may not be immediately obvious, but it’s there if you look.
So here is everything you never knew about the MLS ball.
Size and Weight Regulations
The MLS soccer ball is unique in design, but it must adhere to the same international size and weight regulations as laid down by FIFA and IFAB. All other balls used in other leagues and competitions operating under these organisations are made to the same standard too.
This ensures players across continents are using balls that are very very similar. It means that there is a level playing field when clubs meet in international competitions. No team can complain that the other had an advantage due to the ball being wildly different from what they were used to.
- Size: 5
- Weight: Between 410g and 450g (14–16 oz)
- Circumference: Between 68cm and 70cm (27–28 inches)
- Pressure: Between 0.6 and 1.1 atmospheres (600-1100 g/cm² at sea level)
- Shape & Material: Spherical, made of leather or other suitable materials
So MLS soccer balls will need to meet these size, weight, circumference, pressure, shape and material standards just like every other league.
MLS Ball vs Premier League Ball
Unlike some other leagues, MLS clubs will use the same ball for more or less every game they play each season.
In England’s Premier League, for example, they use one ball for the league, supplied by Nike, another for the EFL and Carabao Cup, supplied by Puma, and yet another for the FA Cup, supplied by Mitre.
This is all down to different sponsorship deals, but since Premier League clubs play in all three domestic competitions, they have to use three different types of ball across a single season.
While these balls still have to conform to FIFA and IFAB regulations, there are subtle differences that can impact how players handle the ball:
- Panel design and stitching – Nike uses fewer panels for a smoother flight, while Mitre balls tend to have more traditional stitched panels.
- Surface texture – Some balls are slicker, others have more grip.
- Flight characteristics Lighter balls may move unpredictably in the air.
Indeed, both Pep Guardiola (Manchester City) and Mikel Arteta (Arsenal) have complained about the ball used in the FA Cup and the Carabao Cup respectively. They say these balls a sub-par an do not perform as expected.
In contrast, MLS Clubs only have one ball to contend with domestically, supplied by Adidas, unless they take part in the US Open Cup, for which the ball is supplied by Nike in the later stages.
MLS Ball Changes Over Time
To begin with the design of the MLS ball only changed when the supplier changed. However, from 2012 onwards the aesthetics and design changed every year.
The new ball reveal became something of an event – they usually make a video like this one to hype it up:
The sports brands who have supplied the MLS match ball over the years are as follows:
- Mitre: 1996-2000
- Kappa: 2001-2002
- Puma: 2003-2005
- Adidas: 2006 – 2030
The deal with Adidas was significant because it showed the league was on the ascendance, and modernised the design.
Adidas was a much bigger brand than either Mitre, Kappa or Puma, plus, the initial deal was for ten years rather than one or two, and worth $150 million. This was huge at the time. Remember, David Beckham didn’t move to LA Galaxy until 2007, so this was an early sign of the league’s legitimacy in world soccer. Adidas signed another deal in 2017 worth a staggering $700 million – and that was just for 6 additional years – and they repeated that in 2023 for a further $830 million.
Another huge benefit of having Adidas design the ball, was that the company had invested heavily in technology. They introduced thermally bonded panels for better flight stability, for example, and used micro textured surfaces for better grip and control. Players loved it, as it allowed them to do their very best work on the pitch, as Adidas have been making improvements ever since.
The MLS ball has come a long way from the Mitre Ultimax of 1996, with it’s traditional 32 panel hand stitched design. To be fair though, that was a brilliant ball in its day.
Ball Designs and What They Mean
Most people probably don’t realise that the match ball has been improved with different materials, panel shapes, and surfaces etc. What they will notice though, is how the ball looks.
I’m taking about the colors used, the visual design, that sort of thing.
These days, a lot of thought goes into that side of things too, even though it doesn’t impact the way the players interact with the ball. In the same way that each MLS club’s badge is designed to represent the club and its history, the MLS ball’s visual design is an opportunity to say something about the league as a whole.
This wasn’t always the case. Back in 1996, the ball might have had the same color scheme as the MLS logo, but that was it. The rest of the design was purely functional. It wasn’t until the 2010s that the design began to incorporate cultural and historical soccer references.
In 2012 for example, the aesthetic design was created to include elements of the MLS trophy. It was subtle, but from here the designers began to experiment. Don Garber’s signature appeared on the ball, for example. Then more complex designs were created: one took inspiration from the human heart, because the ball is the heart of the game, others incorporated a maple leaf and stars to represent the two countries with MLS teams, another represented the league’s values of community, country, and club, and so on.
The design of the 2024 ball was inspired by the 1994 World Cup, the competition behind the formation of MLS. Adidas worked with Major League Soccer to create a design that celebrated the year MLS was formed by using vibrant 90s inspired colors.
In 2025, MLS celebrated their 30th season, and the match ball was designed to celebrate that. They used the original blue and green colors from the leagues first ball and logo, used three of Adidas’ most popular panel styles since they became the official supplier, and incorporated elements of every one of the previous 18 MLS soccer balls too.
This sort of thing is bound to continue into the future, making each MLS ball interesting and meaningful in its own way.