Major League Soccer Commissioner Don Garber's contract has been extended by the league's Board of Governors through 2027.

The league confirmed the extension on Wednesday ahead of this weekend's MLS Cup final between the LA Galaxy and the New York Red Bulls. Financial terms were not disclosed.

Launched in 1996, MLS was losing money and close to folding when Garber, an NFL executive, took over in 1999. Since then, MLS has expanded from 12 to 30 teams, including the addition of San Diego FC next year.

Garber introduced the league’s marketing arm, Soccer United Marketing, encouraged construction of soccer-specific stadiums and spurred the growth of an academy system to develop players in the United States.

“MLS has driven the rise of a soccer nation in America and Canada. And that sounds like it’s amorphous, but it’s not," Garber told The Associated Press as he celebrated his 25th anniversary with MLS earlier this year. "That’s the most important accomplishment, that we built a powerful soccer nation. We’ve been the driver of the growth of the beautiful game in our region at so many different levels.

“We have become a respected league in the eyes of players, fans and institutions that govern the sport. I am most proud of that.”

___

AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer