Apple TV is set to make broadcasting history by airing a live Major League Soccer match that is filmed entirely using the iPhone 17 Pro. The game between LA Galaxy and Houston Dynamo FC will take place at Dignity Health Sports Park in California on May 23, with kickoff scheduled for 7:30 p.m. PT.
This will be the first time a major professional sporting event is captured fully on smartphone cameras rather than traditional broadcast equipment. The match comes just before the MLS season pause for the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
Instead of large broadcast rigs, production crews will use multiple iPhone units placed around the stadium. These phones will capture everything from warmups and player entrances to in-game action and crowd reactions, offering more flexible and immersive camera angles.
The iPhone 17 Pro’s advanced triple 48MP camera system will be used to simulate the work of multiple professional lenses. Features like Apple Log 2 will help maintain broadcast-level quality, ensuring the footage still meets high production standards despite using compact devices.
Apple has been gradually testing smartphones in sports coverage. Earlier experiments included select footage during a 2025 Major League Baseball game between the Boston Red Sox and Detroit Tigers, which impressed industry observers and even led to one of the devices being added to the Baseball Hall of Fame collection.
After positive feedback from those early trials and other events like the MLS Cup, Apple is now moving to a full match production using only smartphones. The company says this approach could change how live sports are filmed in the future.
Fans in over 100 countries will be able to watch the stream without regional restrictions, making it widely accessible. If successful, this broadcast could influence how future sporting events are produced, with lighter, more mobile camera setups becoming more common.
