For the first time in over two years, Major League Soccer matches are returning to local TV—though fans will have to wait to watch them.
Charlotte FC has reached a deal with TV64 to air tape-delayed broadcasts of all remaining 30 matches this season, with games being shown at least 48 hours after they are played.
Saturday games will air on Monday at 11 p.m., Sunday games on Tuesday at 11 p.m., and so on.
MLS Matches Returning to Local TV—On Delay
While Apple TV retains exclusive live streaming and broadcast rights for MLS worldwide—along with Fox’s simulcast package in the U.S. and TSN/RDS in Canada—league rules permit rebroadcasts so long as they occur 48 hours or more after the match.
Charlotte FC appears to be the first club to strike such a deal, following a trend of MLS teams seeking alternative ways to increase local exposure.
Here’s Charlotte FC’s March and April tape-delayed broadcast schedule on TV64:
- Monday, March 17 – vs. FC Cincinnati – 11:00 p.m. ET
- Monday, March 24 – vs. San Jose Earthquakes – 11:00 p.m. ET
- Monday, March 31 – vs. Colorado Rapids – 11:00 p.m. ET
- Monday, April 7 – vs. Nashville SC – 11:00 p.m. ET
- Monday, April 14 – vs. CF Montreal – 11:00 p.m. ET
- Monday, April 21 – vs. San Diego FC – 11:00 p.m. ET
- Monday, April 28 – vs. New England Revolution – 11:00 p.m. ET
A New Trend for MLS?
While live games remain locked behind streaming, MLS teams are testing ways to regain some local TV presence.
During this year’s Coachella Valley Invitational, several MLS teams had their preseason matches aired live on local Fox affiliates.
Tape-delayed soccer has a rich history in the U.S. and abroad. The BBC’s “Match of the Day” has long provided same-day highlights of the English Premier League, while in the 1970s and 1980s, PBS aired Bundesliga highlights via “Soccer Made in Germany.”
While watching games on a two-day delay may not be ideal for fans, Charlotte’s move signals that MLS clubs still value local TV exposure—even in the Apple TV era.
