Major League Soccer - Founded in 1993 as part of the United States' bid to host the 1994 FIFA World Cup, Major League Soccer (MLS) began play 1996 with 10 teams. Currently, the league consists of 16 teams with new franchises starting in Vancouver and Portland for the 2011 season. MLS consists of an Eastern and Western Conference, each comprised of eight teams. The top teams from each conference compete in the postseason MLS Cup Playoffs that culminates in the league championship game, MLS Cup.
