
Messi Tops MLS Salaries as Inter Miami Drives League Payroll
Lionel Messi is the MLS’s highest-paid player for 2026 at $28.3 million, with Inter Miami carrying a league-leading payroll of $54.6 million. Messi’s total earnings, including sponsorships and a revenue-sharing deal with Apple, could reach $70–$80 million; Sunghoon?—no, Heung-min Son is next at $11.1 million. The season has seen Miami strong on the field (Messi has 9 goals and 4 assists in 12 matches as they sit third in the East), and MLS renegotiated the Season Pass deal with Apple to end earlier than planned. The wage figures highlight Messi’s outsized impact, though MLS contends there are limits to how one player can transform the league’s image.













