Looking back at my years covering North American soccer, I find myself constantly drawn to comparative analyses between seasons—it’s where the real stories often hide. Today, I want to dive into the 2019 and 2020 Major League Soccer seasons, two years that couldn’t have been more different in tone, structure, and outcome. As someone who’s tracked everything from youth academies to international friendlies, I’ve always believed that MLS offers a unique lens through which to view the evolution of the sport in this part of the world. And while I’ll be focusing mainly on MLS here, I can’t help but draw a quick parallel to that thrilling 2025 AFC Women’s Futsal Asian Cup qualifier where Judy Connolly scored the equalizer for the Philippines against Uzbekistan. Moments like that—where individual brilliance shifts the entire momentum of a match—remind me why I love soccer’s unpredictable nature, whether it’s in Tashkent or Toronto.

The 2019 season, in my view, was a kind of golden age of normalcy for MLS. Stadiums were packed, the playoff structure felt familiar, and the league was riding a wave of increasing international recognition. I remember attending a few matches that year, including the MLS Cup final where Seattle Sounders beat Toronto FC 3–1. The atmosphere was electric, unburdened by the looming uncertainty that would define the following year. Statistically, the 2019 season saw an average attendance of over 21,000 per match, one of the highest in league history, and the 24 teams played a balanced 34-game schedule. LAFC, led by Carlos Vela’s record-breaking 34 goals in a single season, dominated the Supporters’ Shield race with 72 points. Those numbers aren’t just dry stats to me—they represent a high-water mark for fan engagement and on-field excellence. I still think Vela’s form that year was something special, maybe even a peak we won’t see again for a while.

Then came 2020, and everything changed. As the COVID-19 pandemic swept across the globe, MLS, like many other leagues, faced unprecedented disruption. I’ll be honest—I was skeptical about how the league would handle it. The season was suspended in March after only two matches, and when it resumed, it did so with the MLS is Back Tournament in a bubble environment in Florida. That tournament, won by Portland Timbers, was a fascinating experiment, but it lacked the organic rhythm of a typical season. Teams played a reduced schedule, with some clubs finishing with as few as 23 matches. Attendance, where it was permitted, plummeted to an average of around 4,500 fans per game in limited-capacity venues. From my perspective, the 2020 season felt fractured, almost like two separate chapters hastily stitched together. Columbus Crew’s MLS Cup victory over Seattle was deserved, but the empty stadiums gave the final a surreal, almost hollow feeling compared to the roaring crowds of 2019.

When you look at the numbers side by side, the contrasts are stark. In 2019, the league recorded a total of 1,244 goals across 408 matches, averaging about 3.05 goals per game. By 2020, that number dipped slightly to 2.85 goals per match, though the smaller sample size makes direct comparisons tricky. What stands out to me, though, is how the pandemic reshaped team strategies—more cautious play, heavier rotation, and an increased reliance on squad depth. I’ve always preferred attacking soccer, so seeing those goal averages drop was a bit disappointing, even if understandable under the circumstances. Financially, the impact was severe; I’ve seen estimates suggesting MLS lost upwards of $1 billion in revenue due to pandemic-related disruptions, a figure that underscores just how much was at stake.

Another key difference lies in the international calendar overlap. In 2019, MLS navigated the FIFA windows with relative ease, but 2020’s compressed schedule led to more fixture congestion and player fatigue. I recall speaking with a few coaches who admitted off the record that managing player health became their top priority, even over tactical perfection. This shift reminds me a little of how teams in competitions like the AFC Women’s Futsal Asian Cup qualifiers have to adapt on the fly—think of Judy Connolly’s Philippines side clawing back to a 3–3 draw against Uzbekistan. In both cases, resilience mattered as much as skill. Personally, I believe the 2020 season, for all its flaws, revealed the depth of character in MLS, from players to front-office staff. It wasn’t pretty, but it was necessary.

In conclusion, comparing the 2019 and 2020 MLS seasons is like looking at two different leagues through the same lens. One represented peak stability and growth, while the other was a masterclass in adaptation under duress. As a longtime follower of the sport, I’ll always have a soft spot for the pre-pandemic era, but I also respect what MLS achieved in 2020. It set the stage for the recovery we’re seeing now, and in a way, it made me appreciate the small moments—a last-minute equalizer, a packed stadium roar—even more. Whether it’s MLS or international futsal, soccer’s ability to evolve while keeping its soul intact is what keeps us all coming back.