Major League Soccer has firmly established itself among the most valuable football markets in the world. According to Sportico’s 2025 club valuations, MLS now boasts 19 teams inside the global top 50 — including five franchises worth over $1 billion.
LAFC leads the way with an estimated valuation of $1.28 billion, followed closely by Inter Miami ($1.19 billion), LA Galaxy ($1.11 billion), Atlanta United ($1.08 billion), and New York City FC ($1 billion).
This represents a significant leap from 2023, when no MLS team had surpassed the billion-dollar mark.
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NYCFC is the newest entrant, boosted by the announcement of its upcoming Etihad Park stadium project set for 2027.
Sportico notes that MLS clubs continue to gain ground thanks to cost controls, modern stadiums, the league’s single-entity structure, and the absence of relegation.
These factors, alongside related real estate and business ventures, keep valuations both stable and rising, even if MLS revenues still trail those of Europe’s elite clubs.
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Other notable U.S. franchises in the top 50 include:
- Austin FC ($865 million, 23rd) and Seattle Sounders ($825 million, 25th).
- Columbus Crew ($730 million), Toronto FC ($725 million), FC Cincinnati ($725 million), D.C. United ($720 million), Portland Timbers ($720 million), Charlotte FC ($705 million), and Philadelphia Union ($705 million).
- St. Louis City SC ($655 million), Minnesota United ($655 million), Sporting Kansas City ($650 million), New York Red Bulls ($645 million), and Nashville SC ($640 million).
On the global stage, the top five most valuable clubs remain dominated by European giants:
- Real Madrid – $6.53 billion
- Manchester United – $6.09 billion
- Barcelona – $5.71 billion
- Liverpool – $5.59 billion
- Bayern Munich – $5.21 billion
While MLS still has distance to cover before competing financially with Europe’s heavyweights, the league’s rapid growth suggests its clubs are no longer regional players but part of the global conversation in football business.
