MLS salary rankings show why Lionel Messi contract is a big deal
Just 10 players take 15.2% of MLS guaranteed compensation. See Lionel Messi's earnings, the median salary, team payrolls and 20 years of pay growth.
In 2026, the typical MLS player earns a median salary of $350,000, which is significantly lower than the average guaranteed compensation of $686,000. The average is inflated by a handful of high-earning players, including Inter Miami forward Lionel Messi, whose $28.3 million guaranteed compensation accounts for 4.5% of all guaranteed compensation in the league.
Messi's salary boosts the league's average by approximately $30,000. The league's reserve minimum salary is $88,025, earned by just 59 players, while the senior minimum salary is $113,400 for 2026. Only 28.1% of MLS players earn more than the average guaranteed compensation, with the top 1.1% of players accounting for 15.2% of the league's total guaranteed compensation.
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