The History of Major League Soccer started in 1988, when the United States Football Federation pledged to develop a Division I professional soccer league as an inducement to FIFA giving the United States the right to bid for the hosting of the 1994 FIFA World Cup. Major League Soccer was formally established in 1995. Its official name is the Major League Soccer. The very first season was played in April of that year. A tournament was held in the US and among other countries, Canada. It was played in Chicago, Illinois, home of the Chicago Fire and the winner of the tournament received the right to represent the country in the FIFA World Cup.