TheSupporters' Shieldis an annual award given to the Major League Soccer teamwith the best regular season record, as determined by the MLS points system. The Supporters' Shield has been awarded annually at the MLS Supporters' Summit since 1999 (with winners between 1996 and 1998 awarded retroactively) and has been recognized as a major trophy by the league. It echoes the practice in Europe's top leagues where the team with the best record is the champion. Since 2006, the winner of the Supporters' Shield has earned a spot in the CONCACAF Champions Leagueif it is a team based in the United States.