"Inter Miami" doubles Messi's contract value.

Argentine Lionel Messi will earn more than double his estimated salary of $25 million in his new contract with Inter Miami, and he will make twice as much compared to the second highest-paid player in Major League Soccer, South Korean Son Heung-min, who plays for Los Angeles FC.

Messi's new contract will include a base salary of $25 million, in addition to a guaranteed compensation of $28,333,333, as announced by the Major League Soccer Players Association on Tuesday, in the first release of salaries for 2026.

Inter Miami is paying salaries totaling $54.6 million, surpassing Los Angeles FC by more than €20 million, which has salaries amounting to €32.7 million, and nearly five times the salaries of Philadelphia, which has the lowest total salaries in the league at $11.7 million. Miami's salaries have increased from $46.8 million at the beginning of last season.

In contrast, Toronto has reduced its players' salaries to $21.4 million from $34.1 million at the beginning of 2025, while Los Angeles FC has increased its spending to $32.7 million from $22.4 million.

The total compensation for the league reached $631 million, and the average guaranteed compensation rose to $688,816 on April 16, an increase of 8.9% from $632,809 on October 1 of last year.

Messi's initial contract with Major League Soccer, which was agreed upon in July 2023, included a base salary of $12 million and a guaranteed annual compensation of $20,446,667. Messi agreed in October to a three-year contract until the 2028 season, then led the team to its first title in Major League Soccer.

Messi will turn 39 next month and is the captain of the Argentina national team, the reigning World Cup champion, where he is expected to participate in the World Cup for the sixth time. Messi scored 59 goals in 64 regular-season matches with Miami, including 9 goals in 11 matches this season, and topped the league's scoring list with 29 goals last season, winning the MVP award for the second consecutive time.

His salary includes the value of his contract with Major League Soccer, in addition to any marketing bonuses and agent fees, but does not include any additional agreements with the team or its affiliates, or any performance bonuses.

Son ranks second with a base salary of $10,368,750 and total compensation of $11,152,852, the same figure as last season. The South Korean winger (33 years old) joined Los Angeles last August.