MLS salary information revealed: Inter Miami, Lionel Messi top the rankings

Lionel Messi remains the best-paid player in MLS and is joined in the top three by his Inter Miami teammate Rodrigo De Paul, new figures from the league’s players union shows.

New salary data released by the MLS Players Association (MLSPA) lists Messi’s annual earnings for 2026 at $28.3 million, followed by Son Heung-min ($11.2M) and De Paul ($9.7M). Messi earns more than twice as much as any other player in the league and his salary alone exceeds the entire wage bills of all but two teams in MLS; Inter Miami and LAFC.

Inter Miami’s total wage bill of $54.6M is, by some distance, the biggest in the league. LAFC ($32.75) are the next closest and Atlanta United ($26.4M) and LA Galaxy ($26.4M) are the only other teams to exceed $25M in guaranteed compensation.

At the other end of the scale, reigning Supporters’ Shield winners Philadelphia Union have a total wage bill of just $11.7 million, slightly less than Sporting Kansas City on $12.4 million. Both teams’ thriftiness appears to have left them short-handed this season; both Philadelphia and Sporting KC are bottom of their respected conferences.

What are Lionel Messi’s total earnings in MLS?

Messi’s salary may be astronomical in MLS terms but it is far less than he could learn elsewhere, such as in the lucrative Saudi Pro League. To compensate for that, Messi’s contract in Miami includes various incentives, bonuses, revenue-sharing initiatives and a future stake in the team.

In total, Miami co-owner Jorge Mas has previously estimated that Messi earns around $70-$80 million from his Inter Miami contract. However even that figure does not take into account the additional commercial and sponsorship opportunities that the move to the United States brings. Since signing for Inter Miami, Messi has featured prominently in exorbitantly-funded Super Bowl commercials and is already starting to appear in World Cup-related promotions for the American audience.

The MLSPA data is designed to give insight into how much teams are spending on their playing staff. In a league with tight financial controls, that is an essential part of the process. However those figures do not accurately reflect the total sums that a select few players (those with huge global profiles) will be earning while playing in the league. In Messi’s case, at least, the enormous outlay seems to be worth it.

Get closer to the game! Whether you like your soccer of the European variety or that on this side of the pond, our AS USA app has it all. Dive into live coverage, expert insights, breaking news, exclusive videos, and more. Plus, stay updated on NFL, NBA and all other big sports stories as well as the latest in current affairs and entertainment. Download now for all-access coverage, right at your fingertips – anytime, anywhere.

And there’s more: check out our TikTok and Instagram reels for bite-sized visual takes on all the biggest soccer news and insights.