Lionel Messi has more than doubled his base salary under a new deal with Inter Miami, widening the gap between him and the rest of Major League Soccer’s highest-paid players.
Figures released by the MLS Players Association for the 2026 season show that Messi now earns a base salary of US$25 million with guaranteed compensation of US$28.33 million. That makes the Inter Miami star the highest-paid player in the league by a huge margin, earning more than twice as much as second-placed Son Heung-min of Los Angeles FC.
Son earns a base salary of US$10.37 million, with total compensation of US$11.15 million.
Messi’s previous MLS contract, signed in 2023, included a base salary of US$12 million. Last October, the Argentine agreed on a new three-year contract with Inter Miami, which will last until the 2028 season.
The 39-year-old has been a variable figure for the club since arriving in the United States. Messi led Inter Miami to their first MLS title last season, scoring 59 goals in 64 regular season games. He has already scored nine goals in 11 matches this campaign.
The salary figures also highlight Inter Miami’s financial strength compared to the rest of the league. The club’s payroll now stands at US$54.6 million, more than US$20 million more than Los Angeles FC’s total payroll of US$32.7 million.
Philadelphia has the lowest payroll in the league at $11.7 million, meaning Miami spends nearly five times as much on player wages.
Across MLS, total player compensation reached US$631 million, while the average guaranteed salary rose 8.9 percent to US$688,816.
Inter Miami midfielder Rodrigo de Paul is third on the payroll, earning US$7.57 million in base salary and US$9.69 million in total compensation.
Other big signings include Atlanta’s Miguel Almiron, San Diego’s Hirving Lozano, New York Red Bulls midfielder Emil Forsberg and Nashville forward Sam Surridge.
The data released by the MLS Players Association includes MLS player salaries, marketing bonuses and agent fees, but does not take into account additional business contracts or performance bonuses.
Messi’s latest contract further underscores his unrivaled status in MLS as both the league’s biggest star and its highest-paid player.
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Issued by:
Amar Panicker
Published on:
13 May 2026 15:45 IST
