Turns Out, MLS Is a F*cking Incredible League to Watch (When There is Nothing Else On)

Who Knew the MLS Would Become Fans' Favourite Pastime Amidst the International Break

As Premier League fans, we give the USA’s Major League Soccer more than its fair share of criticism. It can be called anything from ‘unserious’ to a ‘farmers league’, and given the overall quality of 90% of the league’s players, that is not an entirely unfair summary.

Over the years, it has also become known as a retirement league, where big players go to get themselves one final payday before hanging up their boots. Frank Lampard, Steven Gerrard and David Beckham were the leading English names to end their careers across the pond, while today the likes of Sergio Busquets, Luis Suarez and Lionel Messi are all having a ball at Inter Miami in their twilight years, making the league look outrageously easy.

However, this international break has provided a different perspective of America’s premier ‘soccer’ division – with little else to watch in the way of club football, the American top flight has seen an uptick in attention, and going off recent results, it is clear that the MLS has risen superbly to fill the club football niche while sides in Europe break for internationals.

Major League Shocker

It’s not just the fact that MLS season is in full swing while everyone else is off playing pointless nation-to-nation friendlies – the North American league campaign is 27 match weeks in, meaning that every game now holds importance as sides look to achieve the best possible finish.

As the only league with title-deciding drama on at the moment, it is natural that fans would turn to it in the absence of their own club, and last night's action did not disappoint.

Across the 14 games to take place while the UK slept last night, 47 goals were scored (an average of over 3.3 per game), none ended goalless, and only two saw just the one goal scored.

Some games also produced outstanding drama – Inter Miami let a 1-0 lead slip to a 2-1 defeat thanks to a 99th-minute Columbus Crew winner, LA Galaxy came from 2-0 down to beat the Colorado Rapids, and Austin overturned a three-goal deficit to dramatically earn a point against San Diego.

A 99th minute winner for @ColumbusCrew as they take down Messi and Inter Miami LATE

(via @MLS) pic.twitter.com/n1BKPWcMDq

— FOX Soccer (@FOXSoccer) September 28, 2026

It was a free-flowing, frenetic feast of football which, although boasting less overall quality than the Premier League and other top European divisions, entertained in equal measure, if not more so.

Of course, 'less quality' is a relative term – these teams would still absolutely smoke Championship and other EFL teams, and maybe a few top-flight sides – so it’s not as if it's an eyesore to watch.

But the sheer range of results and number of goals that came in last night's action were a wake-up call to many that the American top flight is more than worth paying attention to, particularly when there is little other club football going on.

Messi Magic and Unique Unpredictability

Naturally, most fans first move when they see the most recent set of MLS results to see how Lionel Messi and Inter Miami got on – even at 39, the best player of all time still has plenty combing through the results list in spite of what many think of the division he plays in.

The Argentine, who is set to retire from international duty next month, was up to his usual tricks in the early hours of the morning last night, equalising by netting a free kick from an unlikely angle that will go down as one of the best of his career.

MESSI WITH A FREE KICK GOLAZO 💫 pic.twitter.com/5rhLfDkJt7

— Major League Soccer (@MLS) September 27, 2026

Unfortunately, that sprinkle of Messi magic wasn’t enough, as opponents Columbus Crew eventually took a deserved three points with a 99th-minute winner that came from a calamitous spill by Miami keeper Rocco Novo, karma finally evening out after the home side hit the woodwork three times in the second half.

Elsewhere, a clinical hat trick from Milan Iloski kept Philadelphia Union comfortably within the Championship play-off spots, and the two worst sides across both the Eastern and Western divisions, these being Sporting Kansas City and CF Montreal, both picked up shock wins in a rare show of quality in what have otherwise been extremely disappointing campaigns for both.

However, the most pulsating drama was to be found in two separate 3-3 draws, in which Austin completed a remarkable turnaround at home to San Diego, and Vancouver couldn’t be separated from Wayne Rooney’s former club, DC United.

Trailing 3-0 with 17 minutes remaining, Austin looked dead and buried, but a diving header from Brandon Vazquez reignited a flicker of hope, and a four-minute brace completed four minutes from time by Christian Ramirez sealed a remarkable point which 13 minutes previously had bordered on impossible.

Comeback complete in Austin 😱

Christian Ramirez has a four-minute brace, and it's 3-3! pic.twitter.com/2jonKpIvjd

— Major League Soccer (@MLS) September 27, 2026

The other six goal thrillers saw Vancouver and DC United trade blows from first whistle to last, with neither side building more than a one-goal leader before being pegged back by their opponents.

Both sides capitalised on scruffy goal-mouth scrambles to net their openers, before a lovely one-two between Bruno Caicedo and Thomas Muller allowed the Ecuadorian to hand Vancouver the lead on the brink of half time.

However, though Vancouver won the first half 2-1, the scoreline would be mirrored in the second period, as a Lucas Bartlett header and an 80th-minute Kimito Nono volley sandwiched a silky Thomas Muller run and finish to end the game 3-3, once again providing unmatched entertainment for those lucky enough to be in attendance.

The MLS simply doesn’t get enough credit anymore. Boasting a nice balance of world-renowned, experienced talent and complete unknowns just waiting to announce themselves, anyone can be a hero, and conversely, anyone can become infamous for all the wrong reasons.

With high-scoring thrillers, late turnarounds, unique atmosphere and baffling registration rules, there is no doubt that the MLS is an acquired taste. However, I think it is about time that we stop pretending that it’s a bad league, as Sunday night's games had more to offer than almost any Premier League gameweek.

Yes, the quality differs, but the element of drama is the same as in any other league, and the MLS boasts drama in spadefuls.