Editing Major League Soccer (section)

===Resurgence===
The [[2002 FIFA World Cup]], in which the [[United States men's national soccer team|United States]] made the quarterfinals, coincided with a resurgence in American soccer and MLS,<ref name="nycfc.com">{{Cite web |title=Learn about MLS |url=http://www.nycfc.com/Fans/Learn-about-MLS |publisher=New York City FC |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140720230433/http://www.nycfc.com/fans/learn-about-mls |archive-date=July 20, 2014 |access-date=January 23, 2017}}</ref> with [[MLS Cup 2002]] drawing 61,316 spectators to [[Gillette Stadium]], the largest attendance in an MLS Cup final until [[2018 MLS Cup|2018]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=MLS Cup 2002 |url=http://www.mlssoccer.com/history/mlscup/2002 |date=October 20, 2002 |publisher=Major League Soccer |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130516201220/http://www.mlssoccer.com/history/mlscup/2002 |archive-date=May 16, 2013 |access-date=March 16, 2012}}</ref> MLS limited teams to three substitutions per game in 2003, and adopted [[International Football Association Board]] (IFAB) rules in 2005.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Formatting MLS, Part 4: Global Tradition, American Appeal |url=http://exittheforest.wordpress.com/2012/09/07/formatting-mls-part-4-global-tradition-american-appeal/ |date=September 7, 2012 |website=Waldlichtung |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140814155539/http://exittheforest.wordpress.com/2012/09/07/formatting-mls-part-4-global-tradition-american-appeal/ |archive-date=August 14, 2014 |access-date=September 20, 2014}}</ref>

MLS underwent a transition in the years leading up to the [[2006 FIFA World Cup|2006 World Cup]]. After marketing itself on the talents of American players, the league lost some of its homegrown stars to prominent European leagues. For example, [[Tim Howard]] was transferred to [[Manchester United F.C.|Manchester United]] for $4 million in one of the most lucrative contract deals in league history.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Tim Howard club career |url=http://www.yanks-abroad.com/content.php?mode=players&id=11 |url-status=usurped |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141008055145/http://www.yanks-abroad.com/content.php?mode=players&id=11 |archive-date=October 8, 2014 |access-date=September 20, 2014}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |last=Carlisle |first=Jeff |date=March 24, 2015 |title=Americans in the Premier League – why have numbers dropped recently? |publisher=ESPN FC |url=http://www.espnfc.us/blog/espn-fc-united-blog/68/post/2331121/americans-in-the-premier-league----why-have-numbers-dropped-recently |url-status=live |access-date=January 23, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170202013152/http://www.espnfc.us/blog/espn-fc-united-blog/68/post/2331121/americans-in-the-premier-league----why-have-numbers-dropped-recently |archive-date=February 2, 2017}}</ref> Many more American players did make an impact in MLS. In 2005, [[Jason Kreis]] became the first player to score 100 career MLS goals.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Jason Kreis still has something to prove |url=https://www.espn.com/sports/soccer/news/_/id/6435726/rsl-jason-kreis-to-prove |publisher=ESPN |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140224105448/http://espn.go.com/sports/soccer/news/_/id/6435726/rsl-jason-kreis-to-prove |archive-date=February 24, 2014 |access-date=September 20, 2014}}</ref>

The league's financial stabilization plan included teams moving out of large American football stadiums and into soccer-specific stadiums.<ref name="ReferenceB" /> From 2003 to 2008, the league oversaw the construction of six additional soccer-specific stadiums, largely funded by owners such as [[Lamar Hunt]] and [[Phil Anschutz]], so that by the end of 2008, a majority of teams were now in soccer-specific stadiums.<ref name="Last Word On Sports" />

It was also in this era that MLS expanded for the first time since 1998. [[Real Salt Lake]] and [[Chivas USA]] began play in [[2005 Major League Soccer season|2005]], with Chivas USA becoming the second club in Los Angeles.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Real Salt Lake vs. Chivas USA – Expansion rivalry a history lesson |url=http://www.rslsoapbox.com/2012/9/27/3415314/real-salt-lake-vs-chivas-usa-expansion-rivalry-a-history-lesson |date=September 28, 2012 |website=RSL Soapbox |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140808043328/http://www.rslsoapbox.com/2012/9/27/3415314/real-salt-lake-vs-chivas-usa-expansion-rivalry-a-history-lesson |archive-date=August 8, 2014 |access-date=September 20, 2014}}</ref> By 2006 the [[San Jose Earthquakes]] owners, players and a few coaches moved to Texas to become the expansion [[Houston Dynamo]], after failing to build a stadium in San Jose. The Dynamo became an expansion team, leaving their history behind for a new San Jose ownership group that formed in 2007.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Quakes History |url=http://www.sjearthquakes.com/club/history#2006 |website=San Jose Earthquakes |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140923142115/http://www.sjearthquakes.com/club/history#2006 |archive-date=September 23, 2014 |access-date=September 20, 2014}}</ref>