Apple is getting ready to kick off its second year of MLS Season Pass, with the 2024 season about to start. It's fair to say that it's starting with a bang as well — the first game will see reigning Leagues Cup champions Inter Miami CF host Real Salt Lake at Chase Stadium with Lionel Messi in tow.
While the game will be a standalone match, it marks the beginning of the second year of Season Pass as part of a 10-year partnership that's costing Apple a cool $2.5 billion. Apple was also instrumental in the deal that saw Messi make the switch to the MLS last year, a move that saw the eight-time Ballon d’Or become the biggest draw in the league.
Now, the 2024 season is ready to get started with Inter Miami kicking things off at 8 p.m. ET and you'll need to be an MLS Season Pass subscriber to watch via the Apple TV app. Prematch coverage begins at 6:30 p.m. ET with a special 90-minute edition of MLS Countdown/MLS La Previa.
The opening-week action is here
Speaking as part of a larger press release detailing the opening round of MLS games, Apple also confirmed the games that will be available to stream live this weekend.
“We’re thrilled to kick off the 2024 season and build upon this game-changing partnership, which is bringing Major League Soccer to its largest global audience ever while showcasing the next-level athleticism and electric fandom of the league,” Eddy Cue, Apple’s senior vice president of Services said.
The week one games begin with LAFC vs. Seattle Sounders FC at 4:30 p.m. ET with D.C. United vs. New England Revolution kicking off at 7:30 p.m. ET. Viewers will have a choice of watching that game or Orlando City SC vs. CF Montréal which gets underway at the same time.
Moving on to Sunday, FC Cincinnati vs. Toronto FC will be the game to watch at 2:30 p.m. ET.
The MLS Season Pass subscription is available across more than 100 countries with games viewed in the Apple TV app on just about anything with an internet connection. Apple says that billions of devices are compatible with the app including its own iPhone, iPad, Mac, and Apple TV devices. Those with an Apple Vision Pro can watch using their $3,499 spatial computer, too. "Fans can also access MLS Season Pass from the Apple TV app on Apple Vision Pro, where they can watch games alongside other apps in their physical space; within an Environment, so the screen feels 100 feet wide; and in Spatial Audio for an even more immersive viewing experience," Apple notes.
That isn't the end of the Apple Vision Pro fun, either. "Coming soon, all Apple Vision Pro users can experience the best of the 2023 MLS Cup Playoffs with the first-ever sports film captured in Apple Immersive Video," Apple says. "Viewers will feel every heart-pounding moment in 8K 3D with a 180-degree field of view and Spatial Audio that transports them to each match."
Apple Podcasts will also "feature a curated list of shows covering the exciting world of American soccer, including Apple TV’s Offside With Taylor Twellman, as well as insider scoops on fans’ favorite clubs," too. There's even a special Apple Music playlist — "Apple Music’s Messi: The Warm-Up is an exclusive playlist Lionel Messi cues up when he’s looking for focus in the minutes leading up to a match."
