MLS and MLSPA ratify new Collective Bargaining Agreement

The 7-year CBA has been ratified by the MLS Board of Governors and members of the MLSPA.  

After pushing back the deadline twice, Major League Soccer and the Major League Soccer Players Association have ratified a new, seven-year Collective Bargaining Agreement.

The CBA will be in effect from February 8, 2021 – January 31, 2028, and includes the following key points:

• A two-year extension of the existing agreement and then the new CBA runs through 2027.
• Players will receive 100% of their compensation in 2021, including salaries and bonuses.
• Players will share in the increased revenue generated by MLS’ new media agreements beginning in 2023.
• Team bonuses and 401(k) contributions will remain as agreed to in the previous CBA.
• The Maximum Salary Budget Charge (the maximum a club can be charged for an individual player on the team’s salary budget) increases from $612,500 in 2021 to $883,438 in 2027.
• Minimum salaries for players on the senior roster increase from $81,375 in 2021 to $125,875 in 2027.
• Minimum salaries for players on the reserve roster increase from $63,547 in 2021 to $97,700 in 2024.
• Clubs will continue to have the ability to sign up to three Designated Players.
• An overview of player compensation for the new CBA:

“We have enormous respect and appreciation for everything the players have done helping build the League and the sport throughout the years, and they’ve gone above and beyond during the pandemic,” said MLS Commissioner Don Garber. “We thank the MLSPA leadership and the players for their thoughtful and collaborative approach on the new CBA. We worked together to address the ongoing impact of COVID-19 on the League, and we appreciate the players’ efforts to develop a CBA that deals with the uncertainty of the pandemic while also providing stability during the next seven years to enable further growth. We look forward to seeing the players on the training field in a few weeks as they begin preparations for the upcoming season.”

This means preseason and the regular season will start as planned on February 22 and April 3, respectively. The regular-season schedule will be released in the coming weeks.