Major League Baseball is gearing up to expand its current 30-team lineup to 32 teams in the near future. Commissioner Rob Manfred has indicated that the expansion process will likely kick off before the end of the decade, with two new franchises slated to join the league.

Among the leading contenders for the new MLB franchises are cities such as Charlotte, North Carolina; Las Vegas, Nevada; Montreal, Canada; Nashville, Tennessee; Portland, Oregon; Sacramento, California; Salt Lake City, Utah; and San Antonio, Texas. These cities have advocacy organizations working to attract MLB teams and, in some cases, proposed ownership groups ready to make a bid.

Factors such as metro-area population, U.S. media-market rank, per-capita gross domestic product, number of major-sports franchises already present, and proximity to existing MLB teams are being considered to assess each market's viability for hosting a new team.

Notably, Rob Manfred, who plans to step down from his position by January 2029, has hinted that the two new expansion teams might not start playing under his tenure. Nevertheless, he expressed eagerness to move the selection process forward and announce the chosen cities before the current decade concludes.

To secure an expansion franchise, interested cities will need to demonstrate financial readiness by paying a substantial expansion fee and potentially offering tax incentives for the construction of new ballparks. The final decision on the expansion of the league will be influenced by the next Collective Bargaining Agreement, expected to be in effect by the 2026 MLB season.

As baseball fans eagerly await the addition of two new teams to the MLB roster, the league's expansion plans promise to bring fresh excitement and opportunities for baseball enthusiasts across the country.