New York City FC Wiretap

Inter Miami lead MLS in total guaranteed team compensation at $54.57 million, a new league record that surpasses the club's own benchmark set at this point last season by $7.7 million, according to figures released by the MLS Players Association.

Miami's payroll exceeds double the total of all but two other clubs. LAFC rank second at $32.65 million, followed by Atlanta United at $27.88 million, the LA Galaxy at $26.43 million and the Vancouver Whitecaps at $24.56 million. The Whitecaps are currently listed for sale and facing possible relocation.

At the other end of the spectrum, reigning Supporters' Shield holders Philadelphia Union are the league's most frugal spenders at $11.70 million, demonstrating that roster investment and on-field results do not always align in MLS.

Total Guaranteed Compensation By MLS Team

1. Inter Miami: $54.57 million
2. LAFC: $32.65 million
3. Atlanta United: $27.88 million
4. LA Galaxy: $26.43 million
5. Vancouver Whitecaps: $24.56 million
6. San Diego FC: $24.39 million
7. FC Cincinnati: $23.47 million
8. Nashville SC: $22.99 million
9. Columbus Crew: $22.34 million
10. Chicago Fire: $21.73 million
11. New York Red Bulls: $21.65 million
12. New York City FC: $21.54 million
13. Charlotte FC: $21.46 million
14. Toronto FC: $21.39 million
15. Houston Dynamo: $20.91 million
16. Austin FC: $19.89 million
17. New England Revolution: $19.41 million
18. Seattle Sounders: $19.09 million
19. St. Louis City: $18.81 million
20. Portland Timbers: $18.45 million
21. San Jose Earthquakes: $15.83 million
22. Minnesota United: $15.55 million
23. Real Salt Lake: $15.29 million
24. D.C. United: $14.55 million
25. FC Dallas: $14.54 million
26. Colorado Rapids: $14.13 million
27. Orlando City: $13.73 million
28. CF Montreal: $13.42 million
29. Sporting Kansas City: $12.36 million
30. Philadelphia Union: $11.70 million

Major League Soccer's pending calendar shift to a European-style schedule is being viewed inside the league as more than a structural change. Sporting executives say the move could finally position MLS to capitalize on television revenue in a meaningful way.

"For so long, MLS has just been a gameday experience type of league," one chief soccer officer told The Athletic. "Media rights are where the money is, and hopefully that's what happens. We're putting the playoffs in a part of the calendar that has a lot less high-level competition, and it is hopefully going to get a boost to the TV money overall."

Beginning in July 2027, MLS will align its schedule with European leagues, syncing transfer windows and creating postseason slots that avoid direct competition with other major sports properties.

Sporting directors pointed to several additional benefits from the alignment. Synchronized transfer windows would open access to the European player market, increase loan possibilities from top clubs and raise the transfer value of outgoing MLS players.

Cold weather concerns drew acknowledgment as a genuine challenge. "You're going to have a lot of unwatchable games," one executive conceded, while maintaining the long-term benefits outweigh the drawbacks.

Despite near-unanimous support for the direction, some executives urged faster action. "There's so much opportunity to improve this league faster than we do," one sporting director said. "It feels like at least we're having the right conversations that we probably haven't had in a number of years."

Inter Miami leads Major League Soccer franchise valuations at $1.45 billion, up 22% from last year, as the league prepares for transformational changes ahead of the 2026 World Cup.

The average MLS team is worth $767 million, according to Sportico, representing a 6% increase from 2024. However, gains remain concentrated among top clubs, with the bottom 12 franchises rising just 2% on average.

LAFC ranks second at $1.4 billion, up 9%, followed by LA Galaxy ($1.17 billion), Atlanta United ($1.14 billion) and New York City FC ($1.12 billion). Three teams declined in value: San Jose Earthquakes, Vancouver Whitecaps and CF Montreal.

The 30 MLS franchises are collectively worth $23 billion, including real estate and team-related businesses. MLS teams generated an estimated $2.5 billion last season, averaging $83 million per club from game days, sponsorships and non-MLS events.

Inter Miami's local revenues surpassed $200 million, boosted by Lionel Messi's impact and the franchise's first MLS Cup title. A record seven teams exceeded $100 million in revenue, up from four in 2024, while several clubs including Vancouver, Montreal and Colorado generated only $35 million to $40 million.

The financial disparity has grown more pronounced than other major leagues. Inter Miami ($1.45 billion) is worth 3.4 times more than Montreal ($430 million), compared to gaps of 2.8 in the NBA and 2.3 in the NFL.

MLS faces limited national media revenue compared to other leagues. Teams currently receive approximately $5 million annually from the Apple deal after production costs, while NHL clubs average $40 million from television agreements.

The league will shift to a FIFA-aligned calendar starting summer 2027, moving the MLS Cup playoffs from fall to May to avoid competing with football season.

Real Madrid has claimed the top spot as the world's most valuable soccer club at $6.53 billion, surpassing Manchester United ($6.09 billion) in Sportico's 2025 rankings. Los Blancos became the first soccer club in history to generate €1 billion in operating revenue during a season, bolstered by their Champions League victory and completed Bernabeu Stadium renovation.

The Spanish giants' matchday revenue doubled to $346 million, twice as much as any competitor. Personal seat licenses contributed $82 million to this total, according to Sportico's analysis.

Real Madrid's commercial revenue from sponsorships and merchandise also jumped 23 percent to $439 million. A new sleeve sponsorship deal with tech giant HP helped drive this growth.

Premier League Dominance Continues Despite United's Struggles

Manchester United's value dipped two percent amid ongoing struggles both on and off the pitch. The club currently sits 15th in the Premier League and has announced significant staff layoffs following Jim Ratcliffe's $1.6 billion investment for a 27.7% stake.

The Premier League remains soccer's financial powerhouse with 14 clubs in the top 50, up from nine last year. Television rights have been the primary driver, with international broadcast deals now exceeding domestic ones for the first time.

Current Premier League broadcast agreements average £3.5 billion annually ($4.6 billion), with international rights worth more than those of the other four major European leagues combined. Even relegation-bound clubs receive substantial distributions, with last season's bottom finisher Sheffield United earning $138 million.

MLS Growth and European Financial Challenges

While European clubs dominate the top of the rankings, MLS heavily populates the lower portion with 19 entries. Los Angeles FC leads MLS clubs at 16th position with a $1.28 billion valuation.

"You'll find LaLiga, Premier League, PSG and Bayern shirts and branding in every corner of the world, and few industries can match football's combination of reach and soft power," said Alexander Jarvis, whose Blackbridge Sports LLC advisory firm specializes in soccer club acquisitions.

European soccer's financial model remains problematic despite rising valuations. Five of the top 15 clubs posted operating losses exceeding $60 million over their past two seasons, with PSG losing $60 million in 2023-24 alone.

"The absence of effective cost controls on player salaries significantly undermines the financial sustainability of these clubs," Jarvis added.

The valuation gap between soccer and other major sports leagues persists. Only Real Madrid and Manchester United rank among the top 20 most valuable sports franchises globally, a list dominated by NFL teams with their strict salary caps and lucrative television contracts.

The minimum valuation required to make Sportico's top 50 soccer clubs has risen to $610 million, a 16 percent increase over two years. However, this growth lags significantly behind the NFL (66%), NBA (88%), and NHL (143%) over the same period.

50 Most Valuable Soccer Clubs (2025)

1. Real Madrid: $6.53 billion
2. Manchester United: $6.09 billion
3. FC Barcelona: $5.71 billion
4. Liverpool: $5.59 billion
5. Bayern Munich: $5.21 billion
6. Manchester City: $5.16 billion
7. Arsenal: $4.49 billion
8. Paris Saint-Germain :$4.26 billion
9. Tottenham Hotspur: $3.68 billion
10. Chelsea: $3.57 billion
11. Atletico de Madrid: $1.85 billion
12. Borussia Dortmund: $1.83 billion
13. Juventus: $1.81 billion
14. AC Milan: $1.34 billion
15. Inter Milan: $1.3 billion
16. Los Angeles FC: $1.28 billion
17. Inter Miami: $1.19 billion
18. LA Galaxy: $1.11 billion
19. Atlanta United: $1.08 billion
20. New York City FC: $1 billion
21. West Ham United: $940 million
22. Newcastle United: $930 million
23. Austin FC: $865 million
24. Aston Villa: $850 million
25. Seattle Sounders: $825 million
26. Everton: $825 million
27. Napoli: $775 million
28. America: $770 million
29. Olympique Lyonnais: $750 million
30. AS Roma: $750 million
31. Brighton & Hove: $745 million
32. Guadalajara: $730 million
33. Columbus Crew: $730 million
34. Toronto FC: $725 million
35. FC Cincinnati: $725 million
36. D.C. United: $720 million
37. Portland Timbers: $720 million
38. AFC Ajax: $710 million
39. Charlotte FC: $705 million
40. Philadelphia Union: $700 million
41. SL Benfica: $675 million
42. St. Louis City SC: $655 million
43. Minnesota United: $655 million
44. Sporting Kansas City: $650 million
45. New York Red Bulls: $645 million
46. Nashville SC: $640 million
47. Eintracht Frankfurt: $640 million
48. AFC Bournemouth: $630 million
49. Brentford: $615 million
50. Crystal Palace: $610 million

New York City FC has confirmed the sale of 18-year-old defender Christian McFarlane to Manchester City. McFarlane, who joined NYCFC as an 11-year-old, is an 18-year-old left-back. 

McFarlane made 13 appearances last season for NYCFC. McFarlane has represented both England and the U.S. at international level, and made his England Under-18 debut in September 2024.

The average MLS franchise is worth $582 million, according to data compiled by Sportico.

Los Angeles FC ranks first at $900 million, while CF Montreal ranks last at $390 million.

Collectively, the 28 franchises are worth $16.3 billion.

1. LAFC: $900 million
2. LA Galaxy: $865 million
3. Atlanta United: $855 million
4. Seattle Sounders FC: $725 million
5. Toronto FC: $705 million
6. D.C. United: $700 million
7. New York City FC: $690 million
8. Portland Timbers: $685 million
9. Austin FC: $630 million
10. Inter Miami CF: $585 million
11. Sporting Kansas City: $575 million
12. Charlotte FC: $570 million
13. Minnesota United FC: $565 million
14. Columbus Crew: $560 million
15. Philadelphia Union: $555 million
16. FC Cincinnati: $550 million
17. Chicago Fire FC: $535 million
18. New York Red Bulls: $525 million
19. Nashville SC: $520 million
20. San Jose Earthquakes: $515 million
21. New England Revolution: $495 million
22. Houston Dynamo FC: $474 million
23. FC Dallas: $470 million
24. Real Salt Lake: $430 million
25. Orlando City SC: $420 million
26. Vancouver Whitecaps FC: $415 million
27. Colorado Rapids: $400 million
28. CF Montreal: $390 million

New York City FC defeated the Portland Timbers 4-2 in penalties to win the 2021 MLS Cup. 

NYCFC controlled most of the first half culminating in a goal from Valentin Castellanos in the 41st minute. The Timbers equalized late with a goal from Felipe Mora.

“It feels unbelievable to be able to call ourselves champions,” Sean Johnson said after the match. “What a ride so far, this journey was crazy this year, so many ups, so many downs and we talked amongst ourselves before the game and said it’s a massive opportunity to make it all worth it. This is what we live for, these moments. To be the MVP of the [MLS Cup Final], it means the whole world, but it means so much more to lift a cup for this club.”

Manchester City are considering offering Lionel Messi a long-term contract that would see him move to MLS partner club New York City FC after three seasons in the Premier League.

They could also offer Messi the chance to become an ambassador for the City Football Group, the holding company that owns a number of clubs across the world, including City and NYCFC.

City have emerged as the favourites to sign Messi after he shocked Barcelona by telling them he wants to leave on Tuesday.

It will be important for City to know if Messi can leave Barca for free or if they will have to negotiate a fee with the La Liga side. Messi's contract runs until 2021 and includes a €700 million release clause. Messi hopes to execute a clause that would allow him to leave for free.

MLS will restart its season in home markets on August 12th.

The league also announced that 18 teams will make the playoffs this season.

The MLS Cup final will take place on December 12th.

Each side will play 18 more matches for a 23-game regular season.

A "majority" of matches will be held without fans, though the league is working with local governments to have limited capacity for certain games.

MLS extended their ban on first-team training through March 27th.

"During this time, MLS players are expected to remain in each club's respective market and have been advised to exercise safe social distancing measures. At this time, team training facilities may only be accessed for physical therapy purposes at the direction of club medical staff to ensure adherence to safety protocols," released the league in a statement.

The MLS season has been suspended until at least May 10th.

The league is unsure of exactly when their moratorium for training will be lifted.