Inter Miami star Lionel Messi says MLS needs to loosen its restrictions on how clubs build their rosters in order to grow soccer’s footprint in the United States.
“I think growing soccer in the United States is possible,” Messi said in a recent interview with NBC News’ Tom Llamas (translation h/t the NBC News broadcast). “I think there are still big changes to be made so that teams can continue to grow.”
When asked what changes he wanted to see, Messi answered, “Well, for starters, every team should have the opportunity to bring in players and sign whoever each team wants, without limitations or rules for players to bring them in. I don’t think that today all teams in the United States, all clubs, have the power to do that.
“And I think that if they were given the freedom, many more important players would come and help the growth of the United States.”
The interview was posted days after Inter Miami announced Messi had signed a three-year extension to stay with the club through the 2028 MLS season.
Messi first arrived in North America after signing with Inter Miami in July 2023.
In the middle of the following MLS season, The Athletic’s Paul Tenorio reported the league had approved roster construction rule changes including increasing the number of under-22 and designated player slots.
The changes also increased how many players clubs can buy out during the season as well as how much transfer or loan revenue could be used for general allocation money, per Tenorio.
The league added further roster-building changes ahead of the 2025 season by allowing clubs to use unlimited cash to acquire players in a method similar to the international transfer market, per ESPN’s Jeff Carlisle.
Clubs still remain capped by overall salary and roster spot restrictions spelled out in the league’s current collective bargaining agreement, which kicked in ahead of the 2021 season and runs through 2027.
MLS commissioner Don Garber has recently indicated the league is considering changing that structure. He said in July the MLS is planning “a review of our entire roster strategy,” per Tenorio.
Tenorio noted that the current CBA would need to be reworked in order to institute entirely new roster rules, and that the relationship between the MLS and its players’ association “feels strained” after both sides expressed frustration over negotiations regarding Club World Cup bonuses.
MLS clubs currently have a salary budget of $5.95 million to build their first 20 roster spots. Clubs also have money stashed in other pools, with $2.225 million in targeted allocation money and up to $3 million in general allocation money available this season.
Outside of three designated players, who can sign for any salary amount without costing more than the MLS maximum salary charge of $743,750, these salary cap requirements have exercised strict control over how much teams can pay players.
That made sense for a league that, according to estimates published in February by Forbes, features more than half of its teams operating at a loss. Messi’s Inter Miami is one of just 14 of 30 clubs Forbes projected brought in revenue in 2024.
The MLS will need to weigh team finances with the possibility that, as Messi said, relaxed roster restrictions could help attract more well-established international stars to North America when negotiating the next CBA ahead of the current deal’s January 2028 expiration.
