The MLS Players' Association released their Fall 2025 salary report, giving an exclusive look at what players around the league earn.
We're taking a quick look at the spending around the league, as well as where Nashville SC stacks up.
Before we start, it's important to note that these numbers only reflect salaries, and not other spending like transfer fees, infrastructure, and more. This is only a piece of a much larger puzzle.
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Major League Soccer
Lionel Messi is the highest-paid player in MLS, with his salary of over $20,000,000, nearly doubling that of the next-closest player, new LAFC signing Heung-min Son. Inter Miami's two other Designated Players, Sergio Busquets and Jordi Alba, come in at the third and ninth-highest paid players, respectively.
Nashville SC's Hany Mukhtar is the only player in the top 20, with his salary of $5,311,667 good for the 10th-best in MLS.
Highest overall spenders
In all, Nashville SC have the sixth-highest salary spend in MLS at $22,438,697. Among Eastern Conference playoff teams, only Chicago ($23,111,027), Cincinnati ($23,187,260) and Miami ($48,970,480) are ahead.
Miami's outlay of nearly $50 million is 162% higher than the next-closest team in MLS, Los Angeles FC. Overall, they spend $30,302,211 (262%) more than the average of the remaining 29 teams. Compared with CF Montreal, who spend just $12,923,253, the contrast is stark.
- Inter Miami - $48,970,480
- LAFC - $30,095,826
- Atlanta United - $28,479,597
- FC Cincinnati - $23,187,260
- Chicago Fire - $23,111,027
Spending efficiency
Supporters' Shield winners Philadelphia Union are the most efficient spenders in the league. With just $203,489 per point earned, they've been exponentially more systematic than Atlanta United, who are the least efficient team in the league with a whopping $1,017,128 spent per point on the table.
Minnesota United ($250,753 per point) and Vancouver Whitecaps ($274,986 per point) are also among the most efficient clubs in the league.
Along with Atlanta United, Inter Miami ($753,392 per point) and the LA Galaxy ($741,890 per point) are some of the most egregious spenders.
The MLSPA has released their latest salary update, and we've got a full picture of how teams allocate their salary budget. Inter Miami spend a whopping 72% of their budget on their three DPs, who earn more than every other MLS club's entire roster combined.
— Ben Wright (@benwright.bsky.social) 2025-10-29T17:05:08.936Z
Designated Player spending
Unsurprisingly, Miami also spend the most money on their Designated Players. $35,221,663, 72% of their entire roster budget, is spent on Lionel Messi, Sergio Busquets and Jordi Alba. Atlanta United, LAFC, LA Galaxy and Nashville SC round out the top five.
At the other end of the spectrum, Toronto FC spend the least on their Designated Players. After buying out Lorenzo Insigne and Federico Bernardeschi, Djordje Mihailovic is the lone DP currently on their roster.
Minnesota United allocate the smallest portion of their overall roster budget towards their Designated Players, spending just 17% on DPs.
- Inter Miami - $35,221,663 (72%)
- Atlanta United - $16,786,987 (59%)
- LAFC - $14,862,352 (49%)
- LA Galaxy - $12,420,688 (56%)
- Nashville SC - $11,976,785 (53%)
Targeted Allocation Money spending
FC Cincinnati lead teams in TAM spending, with nearly $10 million spread out across the salaries of 11 players. Vancouver Whitecaps have allocated the biggest portion of their budget to TAM players, putting 48% of their overall salary spending towards their nine TAM players, including summer signing Thomas Müller.
Austin FC spend the least amount of money in the TAM range, with just $$853,750 (5%) of their budget spent on Julio Cascante, their loan TAM player. Close behind them at the bottom of the TAM table are CF Montreal ($1,606,060 - 12%) and Nashville SC ($3,409,467 - 15%).
- FC Cincinnati - $9,963,635 (43%)
- Atlanta United - $8,862,451 (31%)
- Vancouver Whitecaps - $8,342,477 (48%)
- LAFC - $7,562,000 (25%)
- Inter Miami - $7,461,820 (15%)
U22 Initiative spending
The Chicago Fire lead MLS in investing in U22 Initiative players (although it's important to remember that these numbers, as with all categories, only cover salaries, and do not include player acquisition fees). They've allocated nearly $3 million and 12% of their total budget towards paying U22 Initiative players, which includes homegrown star Brian Gutierrez.
- Chicago Fire - $2,734,215 (12%)
- LAFC - $2,734,215 (8%)
- FC Cincinnati - $2,172,394 (9%)
- New England Revolution - $2,047,283 (11%)
- St. Louis City - $2,000,904 (12%)
Homegrown spending
To the surprise of absolutely no one, the New York Red Bulls spend the most on their homegrown players, with $1.2 million going towards players developed in-house. The Philadelphia Union, though, put the largest percentage of their overall emphasis on homegrowns, spending 9% of their outlay on their own academy products.
Note: this category only includes players who are currently listed as home growns by MLS, and not home grown players who have graduated into other designations on the roster.
- New York Red Bulls - $1,223,041 (6%)
- Real Salt Lake - $1,209,315 (8%)
- Philadelphia Union - $1,172,235 (9%)
- FC Dallas - $1,028,936 (8%)
- Toronto FC - $934,349 (7%)
Nashville SC
The only change from Nashville SC's spring numbers is a new contract for Jonny Perez. The winger signed a permanent deal as a U22 Initiative player this summer, bumping his salary from $333,000 guaranteed to $470,956, making him the 14th-highest paid player in the squad.
