MLS referees' union has not reached an agreement on the collective bargaining agreement with the League. Lionel Messi may not set foot on the pitch at Lockhart Stadium in Miami for the first day of Major League Soccer, Thursday February 22.
In negotiations since October 2023, the MLS and the professional referees union (PSRA) have failed to agree on their remuneration. Pending an arrangement, the start of the season could be ensured by replacement referees, as was the case in 2014 during a previous referees' strike.