Major League Soccer (MLS) is a professional soccer league representing the sport's highest level in both the United States and Canada. The modified league is composed of 24 teams - 21 in the U.S. and 3 in Canada. The MLS regular season runs from March to October, with each team playing 34 games; the team with the best record is awarded the Supporters' Shield. The post season includes twelve teams competing in the MLS Cup Playoffs through November and December, culminating in the championship game, the MLS Cup. Major League Soccer was founded in 1993 as part of the United States' successful bid to host the 1994 FIFA World Cup. Since then, owners built soccer-specific stadiums and average attendance at MLS matches now exceeds that of the National Basketball Association (NBA) and the National Hockey League (NHL). Instead of operating as an association of independently owned teams, MLS is a single entity in which each team is owned and controlled by the league's investors. The investor-operators control their teams as owners control teams in other leagues, and are commonly (but inaccurately) referred to as the team's owners. The league's closed membership makes it one of the world's few soccer leagues that does not use promotion and relegation, which is uncommon in North America.