• by Tanya Gazdik , March 3, 2022

Major League Soccer announced today a multiyear partnership with DoorDash as the official on-demand delivery platform of MLS, MLS Next, and eMLS.

The two will collaborate on “MLS Next Delivering Access presented by DoorDash,” an initiative dedicated to championing youth soccer, according to the league. 

Starting with the 2022-23 season, the program includes training and competition for youth soccer players in the U.S. and Canada and provides $150,000 of annual relief to soccer communities nationwide. 

Clubs will be able to submit stories to a review board made up of players, staff, families and local businesses. Up to six MLS Next youth clubs will be selected to receive a maximum of $25,000, which will help provide training and equipment. MLS Next has 133 clubs, 598 teams and over 12,000 players across the U.S. and Canada.

DoorDash is also partnering with DeAndre Yedlin, a star defender with Inter Miami CF of MLS, who will share his journey toward playing professional soccer.

The moves come at a growth period for MLS in both the U.S. and Canada, says Carter Ladd, MLS executive vice president of brand alliances and consumer products. The club has 28 professional clubs in addition to an expansion team in St. Louis beginning play in 2023.

Both organizations have shared values of providing access and empowering local communities, adds David Born-off, DoorDash’s head of brand marketing.

Over the course of the partnership, MLS and DoorDash will bring experiences to fans at major events such as the MLS All-Star Game, MLS Cup, and eMLS season competitions. 

Other MLS sponsors include Adidas, Allstate, AT&T, Audi, BetMGM, Bodyarmor, Captain Morgan, Coca-Cola, Continental, EA Sports, Heineken, The Home Depot, JLab, Kellogg’s, Procter & Gamble, SeatGeek, Target and the University of South Carolina.

MLS Next, launched in 2020, is sponsored by Adidas, Allstate and the University of South Carolina.