MLS & MLSPA ratify new Collective Bargaining Agreement

Major League Soccer announced Monday that the league and the MLS Players Association have finalized a new Collective Bargaining Agreement covering the next seven years through 2027.

The full statement from MLS and breakdown of the agreement follows below:

• TWO-YEAR EXTENSION WITH EXPANDED FREE AGENCY – A two-year extension of the existing agreement; the new CBA runs through 2027. As a result, the first 32 seasons of MLS -- from 1996 through 2027 -- will have occurred without a work stoppage. Starting in the 2026 season, players 24 and older with at least four years of MLS service at the end of their contracts are eligible to become free agents within MLS, providing players at an earlier stage of their careers with opportunities to negotiate with and move to different MLS clubs.
• 100% COMPENSATION IN 2021 – Players will receive 100 percent of their compensation in 2021, including salaries and bonuses.

SUMMARY OF KEY POINTS

The following are key points agreed upon by MLS and the MLSPA in the new CBA:

Term

• February 8, 2021 – January 31, 2028