Saudi Arabia's league is far behind MLS

Major League Soccer (MLS) is ranked 12th in the list of the world's top leagues according to Opta, far ahead of the Saudi Pro League, which is only ranked 29th.

MLS is ranked 12th in the world , well ahead of the Saudi Pro League at 29th, reflecting its meteoric rise thanks to Messi and a solid system, while the Saudi Pro League struggles due to imbalance.

According to the rankings published by Opta , MLS has risen thanks to strong development in terms of achievements on the field, infrastructure, audience numbers and player quality, especially after the "Lionel Messi effect".

Opta said that since Messi joined Inter Miami in July 2023, MLS has attracted tens of millions more spectators to the stadium, while significantly improving its performance. This summer, Son Heung-min, Thomas Muller and De Paul are some of the big names joining MLS.

At the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup, MLS also had a representative advance from the group stage, with Inter Miami advancing to the round of 16. With a power rating of 92.3 points, MLS is rated significantly higher by Opta than the Saudi Pro League (87.1 points).

The Saudi Pro League, despite its heavy investment and Al Hilal reaching the quarterfinals of the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup, has been criticized for its focus on the top four teams, Al Ittihad, Al Hilal, Al Ahli and Al Nassr. The Saudi Pro League's financial losses of hundreds of millions of dollars in the 2024/25 season (according to Bloomberg ) have also undermined the tournament's reputation.

Meanwhile, MLS has shown more sustainability in spending. In the ranking of the world's strongest leagues, the Premier League still leads, followed by Serie A, La Liga, Bundesliga, Ligue 1, Championship (English first division), Belgian Premier League, Portuguese Premier League, Brazilian Premier League, Dutch Premier League, Argentine Premier League and MLS.

Source: https://znews.vn/giai-saudi-arabia-bi-mls-bo-xa-post1579202.html