Major League Soccer has achieved remarkable growth in 2025, establishing itself as a significant force in global football.
As the league continues its expansion to 30 teams with the addition of San Diego FC, the comparisons to European powerhouses become increasingly relevant.
While substantial gaps remain in certain areas, MLS has made impressive strides in others, creating a complex landscape for evaluation.
Attendance and Fan Engagement
Major League Soccer has made a significant leap on the global soccer stage, placing second only to the English Premier League in total attendance for the 2024 season.
With over 12.1 million fans attending matches during the regular season and playoffs, MLS has outpaced renowned leagues like Spain's La Liga, Italy's Serie A, and Germany's Bundesliga.
12.1 million fans attended MLS games, just trailing the EPL's 14.6 million but surpassing the Bundesliga by over 40,000. MLS left a significant margin over Serie A (11.6 million) and La Liga (10.7 million).
The "Messi Effect" has significantly boosted MLS attendance figures. As a result of "The Messi Effect," Sporting Kansas City and the New England Revolution set single-game attendance records.
In Kansas City's case, over 72,000 fans watched Inter Miami play Sporting KC at Arrowhead Stadium.
Financial Structure and Salary Comparisons
The salary cap system remains MLS's most distinctive feature compared to European leagues. Up to 20 players, occupying roster slots 1-20, count against the club's 2025 Salary Budget of $5,950,000. This creates a stark contrast with European spending.
The Designated Player rule provides some flexibility. The Designated Player rule allows clubs to acquire up to three players whose total compensation and acquisition costs exceed the Maximum Salary Budget Charge.
The Top 10 MLS Highest Paid Players is led by Lionel Messi (Right Wing) with an Estimated Gross Annual Base Salary of $12,000,000.
Transfer Spending and International Competition
In addition to an annual allotment of $2.93 million GAM provided to each team in 2025*, clubs can acquire GAM in the following ways: Up to $3 million from eligible transfer revenue converted to GAM.
European clubs operate without such restrictions. In Europe, financial regulations like UEFA's Financial Fair Play (FFP) aim to curb excessive spending but do not impose strict salary caps.
As a result, clubs like Manchester City and Paris Saint-Germain can afford to spend exorbitant amounts on player wages.
Quality of Play Assessment
Players and analysts consistently acknowledge a significant quality gap. In a recent ESPN survey of 123 MLS players, they were asked where they thought the best MLS side would rank in the Premier League.
Technical statistics support this assessment. Premier League teams complete more passes, get more crosses in, play more short passes, and pass more overall. They take more shots and do so from closer in.
Revenue Generation and Club Valuations
MLS is already positioned as the most economically relevant league outside of Europe. And after France's Ligue 1, it is now the highest revenue-generating league.
The revenue difference between Ligue 1 and MLS, which was 2.5 times, and with the pandemic, reached 3.7 times, is now only 1.1 times. Individual club valuations show impressive growth.
The most valuable MLS team, Los Angeles Football Club (LAFC) is valued at US$1.2 billion, followed by Atlanta United FC at US$1.1 billion, Inter Miami CF at US$1.02 billion, and LA Galaxy also at US$1 billion. However, LAFC ranks only 15th in valuation compared to European clubs.
Youth Development and Player Pathways
European clubs have decades of tradition developing talented local youth players through their academies. Players graduate through the ranks to someday represent the senior team. MLS academies are still in their infancy by comparison.
Despite this disadvantage, MLS has produced notable international talents. MLS academies have made strides, producing young Americans like Tyler Adams (New York Red Bulls), Brenden Aaronson (Philadelphia Union) and Gianluca Busio (Sporting Kansas City).
Competitive Balance and League Structure
MLS's single-entity structure creates different dynamics than European leagues. All the teams are working together to help grow the league itself and ultimately share the profits. This doesn't exist in European Leagues due to their promotion-relegation model.
MLS enforces more parity between clubs with its salary budget system and regulations. The top European leagues have no such luxury tax system or salary cap constraints.
This creates more competitive balance within MLS but potentially limits the ceiling for top-tier performance.
Global Competitiveness Ranking
According to Opta's relative league strength index, MLS is now the 9th most competitive soccer league in the world, up from 31st just two years ago.
This rapid improvement highlights the league's ongoing commitment to raising its standards through increased investment in player salaries, infrastructure, and marquee signings like Lionel Messi.
Broadcasting and Commercial Success
The Apple TV partnership has transformed MLS's media landscape, providing consistent global exposure. When it comes to all the professional soccer leagues in Europe, their seasons mostly run from mid-August until the end of May.
Here in the states, Major League Soccer will start in March and conclude their season in either November or December.
Infrastructure and Stadium Development
The soccer-specific grounds at GEODIS Park, Lower.com Field, TQL Stadium, and Q2 Stadium feature some of the best atmospheres.
With the future Miami Freedom Park being built adding to the 25,000-seat venues in Major League Soccer, San Diego FC's upcoming use of the 34,000-seat Snapdragon Stadium could be an example of further growth.
International Player Attraction
With a cap that means each player can earn no more than $650,000 a season, what initially sounds substantial ends up looking like spare change when compared to European leagues.
For instance, Saudi Pro League clubs have signed top players like Cristiano Ronaldo and Neymar by offering lucrative contracts that MLS clubs cannot match under the current system.
However, the Designated Player rule allows for exceptions. The introduction of the Designated Player rule ensures that MLS can attract international stars like Lionel Messi, Zlatan Ibrahimović, and Gareth Bale without jeopardizing the salary cap's intent.
Season Structure and Calendar
For European teams, their goal doesn't stop at being champion of their league. They can also go even further and attend major, Europe-wide cups or tournaments such as the UEFA Champions League.
MLS teams primarily compete in CONCACAF competitions, which carry less prestige and financial rewards.
Future Trajectory and Growth Potential
As a result, clubs like Real Madrid, Barcelona, and Manchester United can afford to spend exorbitant amounts on player wages, creating a disparity between wealthy and less wealthy teams. MLS's challenge lies in maintaining competitive balance while increasing overall quality.
Gradual Cap Increases: To remain competitive with global leagues, MLS could gradually raise its salary cap while maintaining financial safeguards.
Expansion of DP Slots: Allowing more DP slots could enable clubs to sign additional high-profile players without compromising parity.
Flexibility for International Competitions: Clubs participating in tournaments like the CONCACAF Champions Cup or FIFA Club World Cup could receive temporary salary cap relief to strengthen their squads.
Market Dynamics and Geography
While the salary cap is designed to level the playing field, market dynamics can still favor big-market teams. For example, cities like Miami, Los Angeles, and New York naturally attract more international stars due to their global appeal, climate, and lifestyle, leaving smaller markets at a disadvantage.
League Sustainability
The salary cap protects MLS clubs from overspending, a problem that has plagued leagues like Serie A and the Chinese Super League in the past. By capping expenditures, MLS ensures its teams operate within their financial means, promoting long-term sustainability.
Conclusion
While the league has achieved remarkable success in attendance figures, surpassing Serie A and Ligue 1 in total attendance, and has grown into the world's ninth-strongest league according to competitive metrics, significant gaps remain in player compensation, transfer spending, and overall quality of play.
It ensures financial stability and competitive balance that European leagues often struggle to maintain, but it also restricts the league's ability to compete for top-tier international talent.
The success of players like Lionel Messi demonstrates what's possible within the current structure, while the ongoing revenue growth suggests a sustainable path forward.
Looking ahead, MLS faces the challenge of gradually increasing investment levels while preserving the competitive balance that makes it attractive to fans and financially sustainable for owners.
The recent rapid improvement in global rankings suggests that strategic investments in player development, infrastructure, and selective high-profile signings can continue elevating the league's profile without abandoning its foundational principles.