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2026 is a defining year for Chime. And today, Chime announced a new multi-year partnership with Major League Soccer (MLS), becoming the league’s Official Retail Banking, Credit Card, and Debit Card Partner. This partnership represents a deliberate expansion in how the company connects with members in their everyday lives, leveraging sports as a high-impact platform for sustained engagement.
The partnership marks a major milestone for Chime, aligning with one of the fastest-growing leagues in North America at a moment of extraordinary momentum. Together, Chime and MLS will build a season-long presence that connects with fans across marquee events like the MLS All-Star Game and beyond.
The sustained, league-level partnership reflects Chime’s evolution as a brand—connecting with its more than 9 million active members in the moments that matter most: on the pitch, in the arena, in communities, and beyond the game.
This milestone builds on several years of disciplined sports and affinity partnerships across leagues, teams, athletes, and creators for Chime, which has partnered with organizations including the Dallas Mavericks and WWE, and with athletes such as Cooper Flagg, Marshawn Lynch, and Deion Sanders—all to create authentic fan experiences and deliver meaningful community impact. Most recently, we were named Official Banking and Credit Partner of the Portland Fire, with Chime featured on team jerseys — reflecting a broader strategy of pairing league-level relationships with high-visibility team integrations.
It also extends Chime’s broader affinity work, from NBA Playoffs contextual advertising featuring legends like Mark Jackson, Kendrick Perkins, and Kenny Smith to its multi-season Ball on a Budget platform with NBA and WNBA talent. Each effort has reinforced a clear principle: show up where culture and community intersect—and do it with consistency.
The Fastest-Growing Major League in North America
Soccer in the U.S. is at a clear inflection point. Fan interest continues to grow across generations and global attention on the sport is increasing. What’s more, the 2026 FIFA World Cup will return to the United States for the first time since 1994—a once-in-a-generation moment for soccer fandom, with the U.S. soccer fan base projected to grow significantly in 2026.
Together, these forces are accelerating the league’s momentum and expanding soccer’s role in American sports culture. MLS now includes:
- 30 teams across the U.S. and Canada
- Six new franchises added since 2019
- More than 530 matches played each season
As the fastest-growing major sports league in North America, MLS offers both national reach and strong local engagement—with significant growth runway compared to more mature leagues. For Chime, this creates an opportunity to grow alongside the league during a period of sustained expansion, rather than simply advertise around it.
A League-Level Approach
This partnership is grounded in strategic fit. By combining coast-to-coast scale with deep community roots, MLS reaches fans who are digitally engaged and often at formative stages of their financial journeys. Several of Chime’s primary audiences show materially higher interest in MLS than the general population—over-indexing by more than 50%—underscoring the strategic fit. The league’s continued expansion, evolving media distribution, and growing global visibility make it a platform with forward momentum. For Chime, that momentum matters. It allows us to build familiarity and trust over time, not just during a single season or campaign.
A league-level agreement provides national rights, nationwide visibility, and access to league platforms and players—delivering broader scale and consistency than a single-team partnership could provide.
By investing at the league level, Chime extends beyond a single team or moment—spanning the full season from marquee events like the MLS All-Star Game to weekly matchdays across the country.
The emphasis is on sustained visibility and meaningful integration, both inside stadiums and beyond them.
Community and the Long Game
MLS fills stadiums across the United States and Canada, with clubs embedded in their local communities, and through youth initiatives and community partnerships, the league’s impact extends well beyond matchday. That blend of national scale and local engagement creates a strong platform for sustained connection—aligned with how Chime approaches long-term brand building.
Throughout the season, this new partnership will come to life across league events, digital platforms, and community programs. With a focus on consistent, integrated engagement rather than one-time moments, the partnership reflects Chime’s broader approach to growth: disciplined, long-term, and aligned with the everyday financial realities of the people we serve.