Apple Makes MLS Playoff Matches Free to Watch

Apple is once again providing late-season MLS content for free to all Apple TV subscribers, regardless of whether they have previously purchased the MLS Season Pass. However, there is a new approach this year.

The MLS Season Pass is a separate package that is independent of Apple TV (the streaming service previously known as Apple TV+), although subscribers to both services receive a $20 discount on the full-season MLS offering.

Similar to other seasonal sports streaming packages, Apple regularly adjusts the subscription price of the MLS Season Pass as the season progresses, along with the discount for Apple TV subscribers. In September 2024, Apple reduced the price of the MLS Season Pass to $9.99 for the remainder of the season, making it free for Apple TV subscribers.

However, those interested in accessing the free 2024 MLS content still had to subscribe by clicking the button – and remember to cancel it later to avoid automatic renewal at $79 for the 2025 season.

Although Apple announced another price drop for the MLS Season Pass in September, it was not as generous as the previous year. The remainder of the 2025 MLS season was priced at $29, while Apple TV subscribers had to pay $25 to access it. This pricing was based on the cost of the full 2025 MLS Season Pass and the remaining time, but it was less appealing to casual fans compared to the previous year’s offer.

Instead of enticing people with another subscription, even a free one, Apple decided to remove the paywall for the 2025 playoff matches. According to Sports Business Journal, Apple and MLS will stream all playoff matches on Apple TV for all subscribers, similar to MLB’s Friday Night Baseball. There is no need to sign up for an MLS Season Pass; the playoff matches will be available in the Apple TV app when the MLS Cup Playoffs begin.

While Apple has offered MLS content to Apple TV subscribers before, this year’s offering is the largest since the introduction of the sports streaming package nearly three years ago. The free weekends have expanded to include a wider selection of matches during the regular season and Leagues Cup.

Removing the Paywall?

There is speculation that Apple may eventually eliminate the paywall for the MLS Season Pass entirely and offer matches to all Apple TV subscribers, similar to the new Formula One streaming deal. However, Apple has a substantial financial agreement with MLS, reportedly around $250 million per season, in a 10-year deal that likely includes a baseline level of subscription revenue. Additional revenue sharing arrangements are rumored, but the details have not been disclosed. This means that Apple cannot simply make it free without renegotiating its agreement with MLS.

On the other hand, sources indicate that the F1 deal costs Apple $140 million per year for a five-year deal designed to provide premium content as part of the Apple TV subscription. This arrangement likely appealed to Formula One as it seeks to attract a broader and younger US audience to the sport, a challenge that MLS does not seem to face.

Apple’s decision to make the MLS Playoffs more accessible is consistent with previous efforts to make MLS matches more widely available. These initiatives are aimed at engaging casual fans and generating interest in the full Season Pass, rather than indicating a permanent removal of the paywall.