The 2012 Montreal Impact season was the club's inaugural season in Major League Soccer, the top flight of both American and Canadian soccer. For the Montreal MLS franchise, this was technically the first season as a club. Including the former club, this was the 19th consecutive season of a team under the moniker "Montreal Impact".

For the 2012 season, outside of MLS, the Impact competed in the 2012 Canadian Championship, Canada's domestic cup competition, which determined the Canadian entrant in the CONCACAF Champions League, in which they lost the semi-final.

Jesse Marsch was hired to be the head coach in the club's inaugural season in MLS. Mauro Biello, Preston Burpo and Mike Sorber were hired as assistant coaches for the inaugural season.

Prior to the start of the season, a Division 2 soccer club of the same named played in the North American Soccer League finishing in seventh during the regular season, failing to qualify for the playoffs.

On May 7, 2010, the club's owner, Joey Saputo, was granted a 19th franchise in Major League Soccer, starting in 2012. The MLS franchise will be privately owned by the Saputo family.

On June 14, 2011, the Montreal Impact announced they've reached a five-year agreement with the Bank of Montreal (BMO) to become lead sponsor and jersey sponsor when they join MLS as an expansion team in 2012.

The building of the Montreal Impact MLS team started on October 3, 2011 with the signing of defensemen Nelson Rivas, who previously played for Inter Milan of the Italian Serie A. The club later awarded MLS contracts to former NASL team defensemen Hassoun Camara, goalkeeper Evan Bush and midfielder Sinisa Ubiparipovic.

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