Three years into its $2.5 billion exclusive streaming deal with Apple, Major League Soccer is adjusting course. The league has begun licensing matches to international linear TV networks, and in doing so, it’s quietly admitting what many already suspected: Apple TV+ isn’t delivering the global reach MLS hoped for.
The headline move came this week as MLS struck a deal with SBS in Australia. The public broadcaster will air one Sunday Night Soccer match per week, live and free on SBS Viceland and SBS on Demand, as part of a one-season agreement. The weekly broadcast kicks off early Monday mornings in Australia, a time slot that conveniently aligns with SBS’s existing soccer coverage and offers fans a fresh, accessible way to experience MLS.
“This is the first time Australian viewers will have the chance to watch MLS matches live and free,” said Ken Shipp, SBS director of sport. “It’s a great appetiser for the World Cup.”
This marks the league’s first linear deal since launching its streaming-exclusive partnership with Apple. It’s also a clear signal MLS is evolving its strategy. It’s not about abandoning streaming, but recognizing it’s not enough on its own, particularly in international markets where Apple TV+ has less penetration.
The Apple deal was pitched as a game-changer: every game, no blackouts, globally available through Apple TV+ and the MLS Season Pass. But the rollout hasn’t matched the hype. Subscription numbers remain undisclosed, which usually isn’t a good sign, and even in markets with access, fan engagement appears limited.
The reality is simple: if Apple TV+ was driving meaningful growth for MLS internationally, there’d be no need for linear deals. But MLS isn’t just adding partners like SBS, it’s actively seeking them. The league has secured Sunday Night Soccer distribution deals in Southeast Asia, the Middle East, Spain, Germany, Israel, Malta, and Korea. More are in the works.
These deals don’t just extend reach; they’re a hedge. They reflect a growing awareness that Apple TV+ alone can’t carry the league’s global ambitions, at least not yet.
The SBS deal, while limited to one match per week, gives MLS something it’s been sorely lacking in the Apple era: visibility. Free-to-air television remains a powerful distribution tool, especially for casual viewers who aren’t going to download a streaming app just to sample a league they don’t follow.
It’s no coincidence that SBS also holds rights to the 2026 FIFA World Cup. MLS is betting that tying itself to broadcasters already invested in soccer can create a halo effect, introducing the league to new audiences in key markets ahead of the North American-hosted tournament.
This isn’t just a growth strategy. It’s a tacit acknowledgment that Apple’s walled garden has become a visibility problem. In the U.S., fans still can’t casually stumble onto an MLS match outside of the modest Fox package, which largely avoids the league’s biggest star, Lionel Messi. Sunday Night Soccer is technically available without a Season Pass, but only if you happen to be browsing Apple TV+ when the match airs. That’s a tough sell.
For now, the deals are limited to Sunday Night Soccer. But the fact that Apple hasn’t blocked these linear agreements, and may even be quietly supporting them, suggests both sides are aware they need broader distribution to make this work long-term.
The next logical step is bringing Sunday Night Soccer to linear television in the U.S. If MLS is willing to make its flagship game free-to-air in other countries, why not at home? Especially when the league’s domestic exposure is arguably its biggest problem.
Until that happens, MLS remains at risk of what it’s already become for many: out of sight, out of mind.
