MLS Dominates 50 Most Valuable Soccer Clubs in the World With Impressive Number | OneFootball

There may be some development on the pitch for MLS to reach the level of the top European leagues, but off the field, things are going nearly perfectly for several clubs.

Sportico unveiled its latest list of the top 50 most valuable clubs globally, including 16 of the 30 MLS clubs and five within the top 20. Meanwhile, the English Premier League had 14, the only other top division with more than 10.

European teams dominated the top of the list with Real Madrid and Manchester United ranking No. 1 and No. 2, cresting the $6 billion mark. At the same time, FC Barcelona, Liverpool, Bayern Munich and Manchester City all came in over $5 billion.

The top-ranked MLS team is LAFC, coming in at $1.28 billion and No. 16 overall. The Black and Gold are among five MLS teams above the $1 billion mark, with Inter Miami CF, LA Galaxy, Atlanta United and New York City FC close behind.

Other MLS clubs on the list included: Austin FC, Seattle Sounders FC, Columbus Crew SC, Toronto FC, FC Cincinnati, D.C. United, Portland Timbers, Charlotte FC, the Philadelphia Union, St. Louis CITY SC, Minnesota United, Sporting Kansas City, New York Red Bulls and Nashville SC.

Overall, it’s a massive improvement for MLS clubs since Sportico first reported on the valuations in 2023, when no teams had crested $1 billion. It also marks an incredible return on investment for several owners who bought into expansion, notably Atlanta’s $70 million expansion fee in 2017 and Seattle’s $30 million expansion fee in 2009.

No investment, though, measures up to David Beckham’s with Miami. With a pre-negotiated fee, he paid $25 million to get Inter Miami into MLS, a club now worth $1.19 billion.

But why does MLS seem to outweigh some of Europe’s top clubs dramatically, and none of Mexico’s teams crack the list? It’s down to two reasons.

Lack of Relegation

Despite struggling play, Toronto FC remain one of the world's most valuable teams / Dan Hamilton-Imagn Images

It’s a gripe many fans have when it comes to MLS, but it’s the primary reason many of the league’s clubs are so valuable. In other leagues, investors take risks of devaluing their product due to on-field performance, but that factor isn’t as much of a concern in MLS.

While winning teams provide more income and greater revenue in MLS, there is no drastic jump to being a struggling team.

Toronto FC, valued at $725 million, have not made the MLS Cup Playoffs in four seasons. Yet, they remain high-value, due to their market hold on Canada’s largest city, and ability to draw star power, as they have with Italy’s Lorenzo Insigne, even if his form has been less than stellar in MLS.

The Salary Cap

Diego Rossi is a Designated Player who has been able to elevate Columbus Crew SC / Samantha Madar/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Unlike their European counterparts, MLS clubs are relatively certain in how much they can spend, with the salary cap taking up most of a roster's spots outside the superstar, high-earning “Designated Players.”

That roster construction template allows clubs to stay competitive, even if they cannot match the league’s highest-spending teams, keeping championship hopes alive for most clubs.

While other leagues worldwide have looked to FIFA’s financial fair play rules and other ways to balance spending across teams in a single league, MLS clubs are stuck to the template, which also generally prevents them from over-investing beyond their means.

The Lionel Messi Factor

Lionel Messi's addition to MLS has brought as many off-pitch benefits as it has to Miami on the pitch / Brace Hemmelgarn-Imagn Images

FC Barcelona and PSG felt the effects for years, but MLS is cashing in on Lionel Messi like never before. While David Beckham revolutionized the league when he joined the LA Galaxy in 2009, Messi’s presence has reverberated across MLS, lofting it high on the list.

For Miami, it drives fan interest worldwide and has helped them establish a global brand, alongside a relatively successful team on the pitch. At the same time, Messi’s deal to come to MLS came with a reported partial cut of MLS Season Pass on Apple TV fees, with the Argentine superstar promoting the league’s new subscription viewing service.

Messi has also driven significant gate revenue for the league, with several clubs attracting club-record crowds to see him play away matches, including Sporting Kansas City’s 72,610 in an April 2024 matchup.

His presence has put the league in the general sporting conversation like never before in the United States and helped push MLS to become the second-most attended league in the world in 2024, welcoming over 12.1 million fans, only trailing the Premier League.