June 26 – Unsurprisingly, global footballing superstar Lionel Messi is the highest-paid player in the Major League Soccer (MLS) ranks – shocking stuff.
Major League Soccer Players’ Association’s (MLSPA) latest salary dump confirms what everyone already knew: the Argentine magician pockets $20.45 million annually in guaranteed compensation.
That’s just the baseline figure, mind you, excluding his Adidas deal and Apple TV revenue share that could push his total package north of $150 million over his Miami stint, according to Sportico.
Inter Miami have predictably emerged as the league’s biggest spenders at $46.84 million – $5 million more than their own record from last spring. The Herons’ payroll dwarfs nearly everyone else, sitting more than double all but two clubs in the 30-team league.
Toronto FC ($34.15m) and Atlanta United ($27.63m) round out the podium, followed by FC Cincinnati ($23.18m) and reigning MLS Cup champions LA Galaxy ($22.87m).
The numbers, current as of May 2025, reveal a league where the salary floor is rising. Average guaranteed compensation jumped 9.22% to $649,199, while the median climbed 10.1% to $339,876 – decent news for the players who make up MLS’s backbone.
A total of 131 players now earn at least $1 million guaranteed, up from 115 last year. Below is the pecking order from the penthouse to the outhouse.
- Inter Miami – $46.84m
- Toronto FC – $34.15m
- Atlanta United – $27.63m
- FC Cincinnati – $23.18m
- LA Galaxy – $22.87m
- LAFC – $22.37m
- Chicago Fire – $22.05m
- Nashville SC – $21.75m
- New York Red Bulls – $21.54m
- San Diego FC – $20.03m
- Portland Timbers – $19.57m
- FC Dallas – $18.98m
- St. Louis City – $18.11m
- Seattle Sounders – $18.09m
- Sporting Kansas City – $17.72m
- New England Revolution – $17.19m
- San Jose Earthquakes – $17.19m
- Charlotte FC – $17.13m
- Orlando City – $16.44m
- Columbus Crew – $16.36m
- Vancouver Whitecaps – $15.71m
- Colorado Rapids – $15.48m
- Austin FC – $15.33m
- New York City FC – $14.96m
- D.C. United – $14.62m
- Minnesota United – $13.8m
- Houston Dynamo – $13.41m
- Real Salt Lake – $13.41m
- Philadelphia Union – $13.37m
- CF Montreal – $11.99m
The gap between Miami’s star-studded squad and the penny-pinching operations at the bottom tells the story of a league still finding its financial identity.
Contact the writer of this story, Nick Webster, moc.l1750934394labto1750934394ofdlr1750934394owedi1750934394sni@r1750934394etsbe1750934394w.kci1750934394n1750934394