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After LA Galaxy broke their duck in 2024 to win their first MLS Cup in a decade, many wondered if the Galaxy could back up their historic season. With Lionel Messi’s Inter Miami also waiting in the wings to land their inaugural MLS Cup since their formation, the 2025 MLS season promises to be another fascinating campaign.
The profile of the MLS is on the rise
With the World Cup due to be co-hosted in the US next year, the MLS will get plenty of airtime in the coming months. The MLS was originally formed to showcase American talent ahead of the 1994 World Cup to create a sense of national pride. The league draws parallels with the Nigerian Premier Football League, which was also founded with the remit of nurturing local players, enhancing infrastructure and generally enhancing the professionalism of football in Nigeria.
Today, both leagues can say they’ve raised the profile of American and Nigerian football. The latter has become one of the go-to sports betting markets in Nigeria, as there are not many other professional sports to compete with. Meanwhile, the former is rising up the ranks stateside and beginning to compete with major league sports like American football, baseball, and basketball.
Now that a quarter of the regular season has elapsed, we can discuss with more certainty over the likely candidates for the 2025 MLS Cup.
Inter Miami are the only unbeaten team in the 2025 MLS
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There are several reasons why Inter Miami are the favourites to win their first MLS Cup in 2025 – and we’re not just talking about the presence of Lionel Messi.
After Inter Miami’s first eight games, they remained unbeaten, winning five and drawing three. They conceded just six goals but are by no means the league’s top scorers. That’s something of a surprise considering the team features Messi and Luis Suarez, who extended his stay in Miami by another 12 months in November.
The Whitecaps have been hugely impressive
The biggest rivals to Inter Miami this season look like being the Vancouver Whitecaps. After nine games, the Whitecaps are four points clear at the top of the Western Conference, with six wins, two draws and one defeat. They are the league’s top scorers and landed a huge blow to Inter Miami in their recent CONCACAF Champions Cup tie.
Vancouver defeated Inter Miami 2-0 in the first leg of their semi-final, despite Messi and Suarez starting — a result that could leave mental scars if they meet again in the MLS postseason.
The Crew are on the prowl too
Three-time MLS Cup winners, Columbus Crew, have also enjoyed a rock-solid start to the 2025 MLS season. They’ve lost just one of their first ten games and are behind Eastern Conference leaders Cincinnati by a solitary point.
The biggest compliment you can pay Columbus is they remain one of the toughest nuts to crack despite losing their two star forwards. Cucho Hernandez and Christian Ramirez have moved on, but the Crew are still hanging tough with the best of the Eastern Conference.
At the time of writing, Inter Miami’s odds look short considering how much of the season remains. They are only a Messi injury away from major problems. Vancouver look the more balanced option to back in the MLS futures market right now.
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- Source: https://www.solutiontipster.com/2025/05/the-main-contenders-for-the-2025-mls-cup-after-a-quarter-of-the-season/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=the-main-contenders-for-the-2025-mls-cup-after-a-quarter-of-the-season
