Messi doubles MLS base salary, his $28 million total compensation more than twice any other player
NEW YORK (AP) — Lionel Messi more than doubled his salary to $25 million in his new contract with Inter Miami and earns more more than twice as much as the second-highest-paid player in Major League Soccer, Los Angeles FC's Son Heung-min. Messi’s new contract includes $25 million in base salary and $28,333,333 in guaranteed compensation, the MLS Players Association said Tuesday in its first release of 2026 salaries. Miami's $54.
6 million payroll is more than $20 million higher than LAFC, which is second at $32. 7 million, and nearly five times as much as Philadelphia's league-low $11. 7 million.
Miami's payroll is up from $46. 8 million at the start of last season . Toronto cut payroll to $21.
4 million from $34. 1 million at the start of 2025, and LAFC boosted its spending to $32. 7 million from $22.
4 million. Total league compensation was $631 million and the average guaranteed compensation of $688,816 on April 16 was up 8. 9% from $632,809 as of last Oct.