1996 Major League Soccer season

Major League Soccer had originally intended to begin competitive action in 1995. Various difficulties forced the league to postpone its first season until 1996. In preparation for its first season, the league began signing what it called marquee players, beginning with Tab Ramos on January 3, 1995.[1] Beginning in October 1995, the league apportioned the marquee players in the MLS Inaugural Allocations.[2] Each team received two national team and two foreign players in the allocation.[3] The league then invited about 250 players to a tryout the second week of January 1996 on the campus of UC Irvine.[4] On February 6 and 7, 1996, the league held its 1996 MLS Inaugural Player Draft in which the ten teams selected 160 players over sixteen rounds. The Columbus Crew selected Brian McBride with the first pick of the draft. On March 4, 1996, the league then held the 1996 MLS College Draft followed by the 1996 MLS Supplemental Draft later that day. Despite the numerous drafts, the teams were not obligated to sign only players from the drafts.

The preseason began the first week of March. The teams reduced their rosters to twenty-two players by March 25 and had to make a final roster reduction to eighteen by April 15.[5] The teams had a $1,200,000 salary cap with no player allowed to receive more than $192,500. In order to promote American players, teams were limited to five foreigners on the roster.[6]

Each of the 10 MLS teams played 32 games. A regulation win was worth three points, a shootout win one point, and zero points for a loss in any manner. Fear of alienating fans with tied games had led the league to adopting the shootout when games ended even. The league also adopted a countdown clock instead of running clock, unlike IFAB's standards. The league also divided the teams equally into two conferences – Eastern and Western.

The league began its first season on Saturday, April 6, 1996, when the San Jose Clash hosted D.C. United at Spartan Stadium. ESPN carried the game live which the Clash won on a goal by Eric Wynalda. That goal was selected as the Goal of the Year. The regular season ended on September 22. The playoffs began two days later.

• Best of Three series winners will advance.

Eastern Conference

• D.C. United wins series 2–1, advances to Conference finals.

• Tampa Bay Mutiny wins series 2–1, advances to Conference finals.

Western Conference

September 29, 1996

Game 2

Dallas Burn	2–1	Kansas City Wiz
Kreis 5' Washington 32'	Report	Preki 30'

Cotton Bowl, Dallas, Texas

Attendance: 10,125

Referee: Esse Baharmast

• Kansas City Wiz wins series 2–1, advances to Conference finals.

• Los Angeles Galaxy wins series 2–1, advances to Conference finals.

Eastern Conference

• D.C. United wins series 2–0, advances to MLS Cup.

Western Conference

October 10, 1996

Game 1

Los Angeles Galaxy	2–1	Kansas City Wiz
Armas 48' Vanney 57'	Report	Preki 52'

Rose Bowl, Pasadena, California

Attendance: 25,212

Referee: Brian Hall

• Los Angeles Galaxy wins series 2–0, advances to MLS Cup.

(Minimum 1,000 minutes)

No.	Player	Club	Games Played	Minutes	Goals Against	GA Average	Wins	Loses
1	Jorge Campos	Los Angeles Galaxy	24	2025	27	1.20	13	8
2	Dave Salzwedel	San Jose Clash	14	1168	17	1.31	9	4
3	Tony Meola	NY/NJ MetroStars	29	2610	38	1.31	14	15
4	Mark Dodd	Dallas Burn	31	2776	45	1.46	17	14
5	Mark Simpson	D.C. United	15	1260	21	1.50	7	6
6	Mark Dougherty	Tampa Bay Mutiny	28	2520	47	1.68	17	11
7	Aidan Heaney	New England Revolution	19	1534	29	1.70	8	9
8	Tom Liner	San Jose Clash	20	1712	33	1.73	7	12
9	Garth Lagerwey	Kansas City Wiz	23	1959	38	1.75	12	10
10	Jim St. Andre	New England Revolution	15	1346	27	1.81	6	9
11	Chris Woods	Colorado Rapids	23	2070	43	1.87	8	15
12	Jeff Causey	D.C. United	19	1620	35	1.94	9	10
13	Bo Oshoniyi	Columbus Crew	13	1170	33	2.54	3	10