James Rodriguez is back. And he chose MLS. After leaving Leon in November, he found a new home in cold Minneapolis. He will remain Minnesota United’s number 10 until June. The goal is the World Cup against Colombia. And it’s another great deal for MLS, which is expanding its horizons.
From Miami to Minneapolis. From Leo Messi’s left foot to James Rodriguez’s left foot. MLS opens its 31st season on Saturday, featuring a number of stars of Latin and Spanish descent. They don’t have Sergio Busquets or Jordi Alba, but they do have Sergio Reguilon and more than $20 million worth of investments in stadiums and sports facilities, which will be an appetizer for the World Cup.
James Rodriguez shows up at his new home in Minnesota, and his daughter goes viral on TikTok
Is James Rodriguez the latest global figure to land in MLS? The Colombian, a former Real Madrid and Bayern Munich player, has yet to make his debut, but his influence is already evident in the United States.The “Topps NOW” trading cards sold at the MLS official store are already sold out. The No. 10 jersey is one of the best-selling items on the league’s official website, selling for $114.99 for the men’s version and $134.99 for the women’s version.
A blessing to MLS
This was an amazing deal and a blessing for MLS. The aim was to expand horizons and at least partially steal the spotlight from Miami, where Lionel Messi, Luis Suarez and Rodrigo de Paul have become the epicenter of U.S. soccer.
The MLS champions, who had Javier Mascherano in the dugout, lost Sergio Busquets and Jordi Alba but were replaced by left-back Sergio Reguilon and Mexican striker German Belterrame.
The sporting projects of Minnesota FC and Los Angeles FC, with Son Heung-min, threaten Inter Miami’s title, but the club owned by brothers Jose and Jorge Mas and England’s David Beckham is still hungry.
Both in the field and in business. After years of waiting, Inter Miami will open this year the Florida club’s new stadium, Miami Freedom Park, which opens in April.
Last October, the new stadium construction area was the site of the renewal announcement of Inter Miami’s Leo Messi, who is the league’s biggest asset and will continue to wear pink until at least 2028.
america’s new coliseum
Miami Freedom Park isn’t the only new stadium in MLS’s near future.
New York City is set to open a new Etihad Park in 2027, allowing it to say goodbye to Yankee Stadium. The Chicago Fire will open a new soccer-specific facility in 2028 and will no longer share Soldier Field with the NFL’s Chicago Bears.
Additionally, Dallas is renovating Toyota Park, and the Philadelphia Union, New York Red Bulls and Sporting Kansas City are working on new sports centers.
No doubt about MLS. When teams arrive in the United States for the World Cup, they will appreciate the level of American League facilities. And many of them will want to stay, said Spaniard Alfonso Mondello, MLS sports director.
The league announced record numbers on social media at the end of 2025. The league’s stadiums averaged 21,988 fans per game, the second-highest number in MLS history.
A total of 11.2 million fans attended MLS games in person, an increase of 12% from 2022.
