MLS vs NFL:Which is more popular?
In September 2026, NFL had more branded searches than MLS among sports leagues worldwide. NFL had about 101 million branded searches, while MLS had 201,000. NFL made up 40.2% of all sports league searches we track, and MLS accounted for 0.08%. When we asked ChatGPT and Google AI Overviews about sports leagues, NFL appeared in all four answers and MLS in two. NFL was mentioned before MLS in every answer.
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Top sports leagues in ChatGPT and Google AI Overviews
In three ChatGPT questions and one Google AI Overview, NFL appeared in all four answers. MLS was mentioned in two out of four: in one of the three ChatGPT answers and in the Google AI Overview. NFL was listed before MLS in every answer.
Most recommended by AI
Brands get a higher ranking if they are mentioned earlier in the answers.
Mentioned by AI
Each dot is one answer, filled in when that answer mentions the brand.
NFL4 of 4Named in 3 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 1 of 1 Google answers
MLB4 of 4Named in 3 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 1 of 1 Google answers
NBA4 of 4Named in 3 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 1 of 1 Google answers
NHL4 of 4Named in 3 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 1 of 1 Google answers
Premier League2 of 4Named in 2 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 0 of 1 Google answers
MLS2 of 4Named in 1 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 1 of 1 Google answers
AFL0 of 4Named in 0 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 0 of 1 Google answers
See every answer about sports leagues
4 answers
Asked ChatGPT
“Which sports league should I go to?”
Asked ChatGPT
“What are the best sports leagues?”
Asked ChatGPT
“What's the best sports league for a team to follow?”
Searched Google, AI Overview
“sports leagues”
Searched Google, AI Overview
“football league table”
Google showed no AI Overview for this search.
Not named in any answer:
Brands are shown in the order each answer named them. The survey took place in the United States on October 19, 2026.
Is MLS or NFL more popular in search?
This chart shows how often people search Google for MLS and NFL by name. Each line represents a brand's share of searches for all seven sports leagues we track, month by month, from English-language searches worldwide.
Share of searches by month for NFL, MLS. The figures are in the table below the chart.
View monthly share of searches table
| Month | NFL | Premier League | MLB | AFL | NBA | NHL | MLS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 2025 | 28.4% | 19.1% | 28.4% | 0.34% | 19.1% | 4.7% | 0.1% |
| Nov 2025 | 36.2% | 24.3% | 4.8% | 0.2% | 29.5% | 4.8% | 0.09% |
| Dec 2025 | 33.5% | 33.5% | 1.1% | 0.12% | 27.3% | 4.5% | 0.03% |
| Jan 2026 | 40% | 26.8% | 0.89% | 0.12% | 26.8% | 5.4% | 0.01% |
| Feb 2026 | 7.8% | 47.3% | 1.9% | 0.47% | 38.9% | 3.5% | 0.04% |
| Mar 2026 | 3.2% | 36% | 7.2% | 2.6% | 43.7% | 7.2% | 0.06% |
| Apr 2026 | 1.5% | 29.7% | 13.4% | 2.2% | 44.3% | 8.9% | 0.04% |
| May 2026 | 0.92% | 27.8% | 10.2% | 2% | 50.7% | 8.3% | 0.05% |
| Jun 2026 | 2.4% | 3% | 22.3% | 3.7% | 60.5% | 8.1% | 0.04% |
| Jul 2026 | 4.8% | 8.8% | 53.3% | 10.7% | 19.5% | 2.6% | 0.29% |
| Aug 2026 | 17.3% | 38.6% | 31.6% | 6.3% | 5.2% | 0.85% | 0.17% |
| Sep 2026 | 40.2% | 33.1% | 18.1% | 3.6% | 3% | 2% | 0.08% |
How has the MLS and NFL comparison changed over the last 12 months?
3 findings
- NFL was ahead of MLS in every measured month of the 12 months ending September 2026.
- Across the 12 months ending September 2026, MLS’s share of searches among sports leagues worldwide moved from 0.1% to 0.08%, and its estimated monthly branded searches moved from 368K to 201K.
- Across the 12 months ending September 2026, NFL’s share of searches among sports leagues worldwide moved from 28.4% to 40.2%, and its estimated monthly branded searches held steady at 101M.
How did search popularity change for sports leagues worldwide in September 2026?
2 changes
In September 2026, NFL overtook Premier League and MLB to become the leader among sports leagues worldwide, with 40.2% of the searches.
Estimated monthly branded searches for MLS worldwide fell 45.4% over 12 measured months, from 368K to 201K in September 2026.
How are branded searches counted?
2 search terms
Brandwave collects information about searches that people make online using MLS’s and NFL’s names. When viewed over time, estimated search volumes for these branded terms can be used to understand whether interest in the brands is growing, holding steady, or fading.
Other head-to-heads among sports leagues
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