The
Supporters' Shield is an annual award given to the
Major League Soccer team with the best
regular season record, as determined by the MLS points system. The Supporters' Shield has been annually awarded at the MLS Supporters' Summit since 1999, and has been recognized as a major trophy by the league. It echoes the practice of many other association football leagues around the world in which the team with the best record is the champion. Since 2006, the Supporters' Shield winner has earned a berth in the
CONCACAF Champions League.