Billboard asked a dozen MLS football stars, including three players who featured at the 2026 FIFA World Cup, to name their personal "Song of the Summer" ahead of Labor Day, resulting in a wide-ranging playlist spanning country, dance, rap and pop. The feature ties into the MLS season's return following its mid-July break for the World Cup, with the league now building towards the MLS Cup Playoffs in November, and serves as a light-hearted, fan-facing companion piece to Billboard's own official Songs of the Summer chart.

Players cited included Charlotte FC's Tim Ream, FC Dallas' Petar Musa and Orlando City SC's Maxime Crépeau, with 12 clubs represented across the country. Picks ranged from Riley Green and Ella Langley in country to Shakira, Justin Bieber, Rod Wave and Jonas Blue elsewhere, while LA Galaxy winger Joseph Paintsil, who also records music himself, chose his own single "LA Galaxy" as a tribute to the club's fans.