Average Salary for MLS Players [Updated 2023]

There’s a lot of money in sports. Soccer is one of the wealthiest with the top players being able to make ample sums to line their pockets. Major League Soccer is buoyed by the American financial strength and avid interest in competitive sports. We look at the average salary for MLS players as well as those making more than a fair wage.

What Is the Average Salary for MLS Player?

While the MLS financial regulations aren’t exactly clear, with many asterisks and player statuses to observe, it was reported by the player association that the basic wage for a non-designated player on the senior roster is around $440,000 per year. This is quite a way off the glitz and glamour of the paycheques offered to the top players coming into the league.

With time and transfers, players can, of course, negotiate a better deal. However, any figure above this on can be considered a good deal as they’re getting above the average. The Portland Timbers are estimated to be ‘the fairest’ in terms of having the closest average spend to the overall league average, meaning they don’t under or overpay their players.

READ ALSO | Arsenal USA Tour 2023 Schedule, Tickets & Where To Watch

Surprisingly, neither LAFC nor Philadelphia Union is particularly large spenders compared to the rest of the franchises despite the two teams reaching the MLS Cup final last year. While the former is no longer employing Gareth Bale to play, it still goes to show that money isn’t the totality of a successful football team.

Players looking for the best deal possible should consider signing for either Los Angeles Galaxy or Atlanta United. These two franchises classically spend lots of money on wages, allowing for lucrative contracts. While Toronto FC tops the average spend for wages, this is largely topped up by the deals offered to Lorenzo Insigne and Federico Bernadeschi, who are on substantially more than their other teammates.

Who Is the Highest Paid MLS Player in 2023?

It’ll probably be no surprise that the highest-paid Major League Soccer player in 2023 is Toronto FC’s Lorenzo Insigne. The Napoli legend potentially left Italy too early, as his hometown club went on to lift the Serie A title without him. 

That said, on a crisp, $14,000,00 per year makes him comfortably the top-earner in MLS. While his money can’t buy him a Serie A title, he certainly has enough dollar bills to buy a replica or go on a holiday to forget all about his plight.

For the money that Toronto is spending on him, the board has every right to feel short-changed. He failed to make much impact upon arrival in 2022, and this year has made very few appearances due to multiple injury complications. Furthermore, the results since his arrival have been subpar, having won only two of its opening 11 games this season.

Average MLS Salary Per Week

The table below shows the weekly average salary of the top 10 highest paid MLS players in 2023.