Messi Calls For Looser MLS Spending Rules, Hopes To Feature At 2026 World Cup

‎Lionel Messi believes Major League Soccer must ease its spending restrictions if it wants to join the ranks of the world’s top football leagues.

‎The Argentine star also expressed hope that he will still be fit enough to represent his country at next summer’s World Cup.

‎In a rare interview with an American outlet, Messi spoke with NBC Nightly News anchor Tom Llamas at Chase Stadium in Fort Lauderdale, Florida.

‎Asked whether soccer could ever rival the popularity of sports like football, baseball, and basketball in the United States, Messi said he believes it’s possible but only if clubs are given greater financial freedom to compete.

‎“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,” Messi said.

‎“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.”

‎Since its inception, MLS has operated under a complex set of rules governing player signings, designed to control spending and maintain competitive balance. In its early years, these restrictions also aimed to prevent clubs from bidding against each other for talent.

‎While many of those original regulations have since been revised or scrapped, the system remains intricate.

‎Today, MLS teams must still build their rosters carefully while navigating a maze of rules and player categories.

‎Each MLS team is allowed up to three Designated Player (DP) spots, which enable clubs to sign stars like Messi and pay them any amount, while only the maximum annual salary cap hit of $743,750 (in 2025) counts against the budget.

‎Teams can also reduce a player’s salary cap impact by using different types of allocation money. These mechanisms give clubs limited flexibility to attract top talent while staying within league spending rules.

‎The league’s U-22 initiatives provide financial incentives for teams to sign young players they can sell on later.

‎Discussions about modifying or jettisoning these rules altogether have circulated for years, but they have kicked into higher gear since Messi’s arrival and Inter Miami’s success on and off the field. Messi’s voice, then, will carry some weight but the ultimate decision will come down to MLS owners.

‎Messi indicated in another segment of the interview that he plans to participate in the 2026 World Cup with Argentina, while noting that his age could be a consideration.

‎“I would like to be there, to be well and be an important part of helping my national team, if I am there,” he said.

‎“I’m going to assess that on a day-to-day basis when I start preseason next year with Inter [Miami] and see if I can really be 100%, if I can be useful to the group, to the national team, and then make a decision.”