majorleague

Major league is a designation used to describe the highest level of professional competition in a sport within a country or region, most commonly in the United States and Canada. The term is used to distinguish top-tier leagues from lower professional, semi-professional, or amateur levels, such as minor leagues or development systems. In many North American sports, major leagues do not use promotion and relegation, instead maintaining a stable membership through licensing, expansion, or franchise agreements.

In baseball, Major League Baseball (MLB) is the principal major league in the United States and Canada. MLB comprises two separate leagues, the American League and the National League, each with multiple teams. The leagues conduct a shared regular season and culminate in the World Series, a championship matchup between the two league champions. MLB operates a farm system of minor leagues that develop players before they reach the major leagues.

Other sports also use the term major league to denote top-tier competitions. Examples include Major League Soccer (MLS) in association football, Major League Rugby (MLR) in rugby union, and various other professional leagues that brand themselves as “major league” leagues. The specific organization, governance, and structure of these leagues vary by sport and country, with some using promotion and relegation in other contexts, while others maintain closed-member franchises.

Originating in the United States, the phrase became common in the early 20th century as a way to differentiate elite professional competition from lower levels. In everyday language, “major league” has also become an idiom meaning something exceptional or of high quality.