Polymarket Secures Major League Soccer Partnership

What Led to This

Prediction markets have grown rapidly, and Polymarket gained major public attention after its strong performance forecasting outcomes during the 2024 U.S. presidential election, which drove high volumes and broader mainstream awareness.

As the regulatory environment around event contracts in the U.S. showed signs of easing, Polymarket expanded beyond politics and macro narratives into sports markets, where repeatable engagement and liquidity are naturally higher. At the same time, MLS already works with traditional sportsbooks such as DraftKings and BetMGM, so the league has experience operating within betting-adjacent partnerships.As a result, the Polymarket Major League Soccer partnership fits a larger strategy: using official sports distribution to increase legitimacy and accelerate user growth.

Additionally, this MLS deal fits into a broader pattern. In October 2025, the NHL partnered with prediction platforms, including Polymarket and Kalshi, marking a major milestone for the sector. Soon after, in November 2025, Polymarket reportedly signed sports entertainment agreements, including partnerships linked to UFC/Zuffa Boxing under TKO Group, plus PrizePicks. Then on January 8, 2026, Polymarket became the prediction market partner of the New York Rangers.

Meanwhile, prior sports partnerships helped drive volume. Hockey-related markets gained traction, and overall prediction market activity reached record levels during late 2025. However, traditional betting lobby groups raised integrity and consumer-protection concerns, which created friction with incumbent sportsbooks.

Details of the Partnership

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Under the agreement, Polymarket receives exclusive rights in the U.S. to offer prediction markets tied to MLS competitions. These include match winners, player-related outcomes, and tournament winners.

Polymarket also plans broad integration across MLS media and fan channels, including digital promotions, fan activations, and potential broadcast integrations. This matters because it can place prediction markets directly in front of mainstream sports viewers.

MLS and Polymarket also point to integrity safeguards, including monitoring for irregular activity and alignment with league rules. As a result, the deal attempts to position prediction markets as a compliant and professional engagement layer rather than fringe wagering.

Industry Reactions and Future Implications

Early reaction across crypto and prediction market communities has been positive, with early MLS market activity showing signs of traction. At the same time, the Polymarket Major League Soccer partnership increases competitive pressure on traditional sportsbooks by promoting peer-to-peer pricing and transparent market settlement dynamics.

Nevertheless, the agreement may intensify pressure on traditional sportsbooks, since prediction markets promote a different model: peer-to-peer pricing with transparent settlement mechanics. In addition, critics may continue to push integrity concerns, especially as markets scale.

Looking ahead, this partnership could accelerate broader adoption of prediction markets, encourage more leagues to sign similar agreements, and influence how regulators treat event contracts tied to sports. For MLS, it strengthens the league’s innovation narrative and could boost fan engagement through interactive, real-time participation.