With athletes, greatness brings massive pay days. Or, at least, it’s supposed to.

Depending on the sport, the culture around the sport, and their experience in their respective league, the highest-paid athletes are often not who fans expect. While we here in the United States praise LeBron James constantly, he isn’t the most recognizable athlete in other parts of the world. To that end: most of the richest athletes on Earth are soccer players.

And even in 2024, the variance between the highest-paid athlete in the world and the 100th-highest-paid athlete is immense. Here’s a quick breakdown of Sportico’s top 100.

Who is the highest-paid athlete in the world?

Unsurprisingly, Al-Nassr’s Cristiano Ronaldo was the highest-paid athlete in the world in 2024, earning $260 million last year. Of that, $215 million was his salary, and the final $45 million came through endorsements.

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There was a vast gap between Ronaldo and the second-highest-paid athlete, the Golden State Warriors’ Stephen Curry.

Curry earned $153.8 million last year, with $100 million coming through his endorsements, more than twice that of Ronaldo. However, Curry’s base salary sat at just $53.8 million, a fraction of what Ronaldo earned.

Soccer dominates the top of the list

Although Curry earned the second-most of any athlete last year, soccer still dominated the top of Sportico’s list. Five of their top-10 athletes were soccer players (Ronaldo, Lionel Messi, Neymar, Karim Benzema, Kylian Mbappe), with no other sport having more than two representatives.

Outside of the top 10, though, soccer almost drops off the map entirely. Only seven other soccer athletes made the list, with only one of them even cracking the top 25 (Erling Haaland).

After the top 10, basketball and football start to take over. The NBA has 36 players represented on the list, far and away the most of any organization. Curry was the highest earner at $153.8 million, second in the world, while the Denver Nuggets’ Michael Porter Jr. – $37.7 million – was the final NBA player to make the list, sitting at 98th in the world.

The NFL boasts 22 athletes in total, all but four of them being quarterbacks. Tight end Travis Kelce ($47.4 million, 54th), wide receiver Justin Jefferson ($45.3 million, 68th), wide receiver CeeDee Lamb ($44.3 million, 71st), and edge rusher Brian Burns ($43.9 million, 73rd) were the only non-quarterbacks to make the list. In an absolute shocker, the Minnesota Vikings’ Daniel Jones, who was cut by the New York Giants during the 2024 NFL season, just made the cut, earning $37.5 million in 2024, 100th on the list.

Breakdown by sport

Here is how many athletes from each sport made the list:

Basketball: 36
Football: 22
Soccer: 12
Baseball: 11
Golf: 9
Fighting: 6
Formula 1: 2
Tennis: 2

Other notables

With most of the money in his contract deferred, it’s shocking to still see the Los Angeles Dodgers’ Shohei Ohtani so high on the list, ranking 21st at $72.5 million. Ohtani only earned $2.5 million in salary in 2024 – the lowest of anyone on the list. But Ohtani is such a massive star he was able to collect $70 million in endorsements. Outside of Curry’s $100 million in endorsements, only LeBron James ($85 million in endorsements) and Messi ($75 million) earned more through that avenue. The next closest after Ohtani was Tiger Woods, who earned $52 million in endorsements in 2024.

Despite not being considered top-10 quarterbacks by many fans, Dallas’ Dak Prescott and Detroit’s Jared Goff each earned more than $80 million in salary alone in 2024. On salary/winnings alone, Prescott would’ve ranked sixth in the world with Goff coming in at ninth. Green Bay’s Jordan Love would’ve ranked 10th as well, though he earned just under $80 million at $79.1 million in salary.

The Los Angeles Angels have not gotten more than 60 games out of Anthony Rendon since he joined the club in 2020. Still, despite the lack of play time, he’s a top-100 earner, raking in $38.3 million in 2024. Rendon, unsurprisingly, earned the fewest in endorsements ($250,000) of anyone on the list. It’s hard to get brands interested when they never see you play. Rendon is still owed $76 million by the Los Angeles Angels over the next two years.

Pivetta and the San Diego Padres have agreed to a four-year, $55 million contract that includes several opt-outs, pending a physical, ESPN’s Jeff Passan reported Wednesday. The deal will pay out $1 million in 2025, in addition to a $3 million signing bonus, followed by $19 million, $14 million and $18 million in 2026, 2027 and 2028, respectively, Passan added.

The Boston Red Sox previously offered Pivetta a $21.05 million qualifying offer in the offseason, but he turned it down in November to enter free agency. The right-handed pitcher was one of the best remaining on the market.

MLB WINTER WINNERS AND LOSERS: Dodgers ready to repeat, Cardinals look clueless

Missing some time due to a right elbow flexor strain, Pivetta went 6-12 with a 4.14 ERA for the Red Sox last season, recording 172 strikeouts with 128 hits allowed, 70 runs allowed and 36 walks in 145.2 innings pitched. On May 30, Pivetta struck out eight consecutive batters in the Red Sox’s 5-0 loss the Detroit Tigers to tie Roger Clemens’ franchise record.

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Pivetta will join Padres starters Dylan Cease, Michael King, Yu Darvish and Randy Vasquez. Joe Musgrove underwent Tommy John surgery and will miss the entire 2025 season after tearing his UCL in the Padres’ 5-4 win over the Atlanta Braves in the NL Wild Card Series.

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One of the fastest-growing sports in America could be coming to the NCAA.

On Wednesday, the NCAA Committee on Women’s Athletics recommended that Divisions I, II, and III sponsor legislation to add to the NCAA Emerging Sports for Women program. After the vote, all three divisions will have an opportunity to sponsor legislation to advance the sport, and the recommendation will move through the NCAA governance structures.

‘The growth of flag football will be exciting to watch in the NCAA as women’s sports continue to generate more visibility and opportunities for female student-athletes to excel academically and athletically,’ Ragean Hill, chair of the Committee on Women’s Athletics and executive associate athletics director at Charlotte said in a statement.

‘The Committee on Women’s Athletics wants to thank RCX Sports Foundation and USA Football for submitting the application. CWA looks forward to flag football being added to the Emerging Sports for Women program and watching the sport’s exciting journey to NCAA championship status in the future.’ 

According to Yahoo Sports, 14 states sponsor flag football as a varsity sport. Commercials aired during the Super Bowl, and ESPN analyst Pat McAfee and the NFL pushed to expand girls’ flag football in more states. Flag football was added for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics and has gained momentum as a varsity high school sport.

The Emerging Sports for Women program, established in 1994, is intended to help schools provide women with more opportunities and scholarships. Six sports have achieved NCAA championship status: rowing (1996), ice hockey (2000), water polo (2000), bowling (2003), beach volleyball (2015) and wrestling (2026).

The first women’s wrestling NCAA championship is slated for the winter of 2026 after Division I, II and III athletics moved the sport from the program to become the NCAA’s 91st championship in January. Acrobatics, tumbling, equestrian (only Divisions I and II), rugby, stunt and triathlon are five sports currently in the Emerging Sports for Women program.

Free agent wide receiver Kadarius Toney has been arrested for allegedly ‘physically assaulting’ a woman last month during a domestic dispute at a residence in Douglasville, Georgia.

According to an arrest warrant obtained by USA TODAY Sports on Wednesday, Toney allegedly strangled a woman ‘with enough force to cause her to be unable to (breathe)’ during an altercation on Jan. 14, allegedly leaving the victim with red marks on her neck and petechial hemorrhaging in her eyes. Authorities also say Toney prevented the woman from seeking help, alleging he ‘took her phone away when she attempted to call 911 and canceled voice commands for the phones to call 911 while physically assaulting her.’

A warrant was issued for Toney’s arrest the following day on Jan. 15.

Toney, 26, was later booked into a Douglas County Sheriff’s Office facility on Feb. 6, according to online records. He was charged with one count of aggravated assault (strangulation) and one count of obstructing/harassing 911 calls. A judge set Toney’s bond at $25K for each charge.

Toney, a two-time Super Bowl champion, is currently a free agent after he was released by the Cleveland Browns in December following several costly blunders in the Browns’ 27-14 loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers in Week 14, including a muffed punt.

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Toney was selected out of the University of Florida by the New York Giants with the 20th overall pick of the 2021 NFL draft. He was traded to the Kansas City Chiefs in October 2022 and made an impact on the Chiefs’ special teams. Toney set a record for the longest punt return in Super Bowl history with a 65-yard punt return in the fourth quarter of the Chiefs’ Super Bowl 57 win over the Philadelphia Eagles.

The Chiefs waived Toney in August following an error-filled 2023 campaign, which included an infamous play where he lined up offsides and negated what would have been a go-ahead touchdown against the Buffalo Bills. He signed with the Browns’ practice squad in September, before being promoted to the active roster on Dec. 7 and released three days later.

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The receiver isn’t even a week removed from winning Super Bowl 59 with the Philadelphia Eagles and he’s telling the world it isn’t enough.

Brown, who just wrapped up year six in the NFL and his first as a champion, took to Instagram in an effort to inform everyone of his feelings after the big game. While championships are enough for most, that won’t be the case for him.

‘After a few days, I’ve had time to reflect on being a champion,’ Brown wrote. ‘I tried to feel how everyone made it seem to be a champion and unfortunately it was short lived.. two days to be exact lol.’

He signaled that he prefers the chase and dominating the opposition instead.

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‘I’ve never been a champion at the highest level before but I thought my hard work would be justified by winning it all,’ Brown said. ‘It wasn’t. My thrill for this game comes when i dominate. It’s the Hunt that does it for me. It’s when the Db drops his head and surrender because he can’t F with me . The Intense battles. Early mornings. Late nights. Sacrifices. I love putting smiles on peoples faces, don’t get me wrong but it just wasn’t what I thought it would be. It’s the journey that I love the most. BACK 2 Work!’

Brown is coming off somewhat of a down year statistically. He missed three games with a hamstring injury and was later absent in Week 18 with a knee issue. The Eagles opted to rest starters in that game, meaning Brown’s absence was likely more precautionary given he played the following week.

Philadelphia opted for a run-first approach all year long thanks to Saquon Barkley’s dominant season. The running back transformed the offense and challenged the NFL’s single-season rushing record.

Regardless, Brown’s impact was still felt all season long. He posted seven touchdowns and 1,079 yards in just 13 games.

However, things got a little dicey in the playoffs when frustration began to boil over at times. Amid his one catch for 10 yards performance in the wild-card round, Brown was seen reading a book on the sidelines. That was later downplayed and eventually became a non-issue.

It wasn’t until the NFC championship game that Brown’s impact was felt in the postseason. He turned in 96 yards and a touchdown against the Washington Commanders before totaling 43 yards and a touchdown in the Super Bowl against the Kansas City Chiefs.

While those accolades are great, Brown is already gearing up for the 2025 regular season.

The ring is great, but he’d like it better on the finger of domination.

MILWAUKEE, Wisconsin — Erin Jackson didn’t know she was making history.

The Olympic champion speedskater is well aware her sport remains overwhelmingly white. All she has to do is look around the rink. She also knows how few Black athletes there are at the Winter Games. Again, all the two-time Olympian has to do is look around.

But the first Winter Olympics was more than a century ago. Surely Jackson’s gold medal, in the 500 meters at the Beijing Olympics in 2022, couldn’t have been the first by a Black woman in an individual sport at the Winter Games.

It was, though.

“I didn’t realize it until I saw it in a headline,” Jackson said. “In the history of the Winter Olympics, I thought there had to have been plenty of other people. So it was pretty interesting to hear that.

“Hopefully we’ll have a second and a third and a fourth coming pretty quickly.”

Jackson already knows she wants to have an active role in making that happen when she’s done competing. Among other things, she’s considering creating a scholarship program because speedskating is expensive, especially for those who are just starting out.

For now, however, Jackson has more history to make. Like joining Bonnie Blair as the only U.S. woman to repeat as Olympic champion in speed skating, perhaps.

Jackson got her start in inline skating, winning dozens of national titles and multiple medals at the world championships. Because inline isn’t an Olympic sport, many athletes make the transition to speedskating, something that initially held no interest for Jackson.

“I hate time trials and I hate being cold,” the Florida native said, laughing. “Now all I do is time trials in the cold, which I find kind of funny. But I’m having a blast.”

Jackson began speedskating in 2017 and, four months later, qualified for the Pyeongchang Olympics. By Beijing, she was No. 1 in the world in the 500 meters.

Jackson is an engineering graduate — materials science, to be exact — and part of what captivated her about her new sport was figuring out the process. Inline and speedskating might seem similar, but mastering the differences is what separates the good from the great.

Speedskating requires sharper angles than inline, and a lower body position during races. Jackson said she had to break down her technique, identifying the habits she’d formed in inline and deciding whether they would help her in speedskating or hold her back. Then she had to break herself of the latter and create new habits for speedskating.  

“I just learned about humbling myself,” said Jackson, who still inlines in the off-season. “Coming from the top of one sport and starting over with a new sport, it was a really big challenge. But I really welcomed the challenge and it was just really exciting to be able to try to figure out a new sport.

“I guess it happened relatively quickly, but for me it seemed like it took forever,” Jackson said. “And it seems like I’m still learning and growing every time I step out there.”

Jackson, 32, was ranked No. 1 in the 500 meters again last year, her second World Cup season title. She began this year with a bit of an injury, and is taking care not to aggravate it. Still, she won the 500-meter title at the Four Continents Championships in November.

She’s also won one World Cup race, and was second in both 500s at the World Cup here earlier this month.

“I’m really focusing on playing it safe. Getting through this season and then being able to really rehab everything and come out next year strong,” Jackson said. “Because next year is the real deal. So this year, yeah, definitely just trying to keep everything happy and trying not to get too old, too fast.”

And not just for herself.

Growing up, Jackson said she didn’t think about being the only Black skater. But she remembers being excited when she’d see other skaters who looked like her, so she knows what a powerful message it sends to Black girls and young women who see her at the Olympics.

“It’s really cool to read the messages from the moms, saying, `Oh my daughter saw you skating and now she wants to try it,’” Jackson said.

“It’s a really special feeling,” she added. “I always want to be a good example, anyway. But just having that extra level, it really keeps me focused and wanting to be someone that other people can look to.”

By being the first, Jackson is ensuring she won’t be the last.

Follow USA TODAY Sports columnist Nancy Armour on social media @nrarmour.

No matter how good a resume is or isn’t, streaks of wins or losses in the final month of the regular season can heavily influence where a team lands in the bracket, and it could be the determining factor of success in March.

Prime examples include St. John’s and Oregon. The Red Storm, only with three Quad 1 victories, are leading the Big East and their tournament stock is rising. Then there’s the Ducks, who have seven Quad 1 victories but are tumbling toward the bubble despite their resume. In summary, maintaining success in the second half of the season is just as important as stacking up quality wins to start the campaign.

There’s only four more weeks of the regular season for the majority of the country before fate is left in conference tournaments. As teams attempt to boost their draw in the NCAA Tournament, here are the times on the rise in the latest USA TODAY Sports Bracketology, and which teams are stumbling down the seed line.

Rising

St. John’s

Current projected seed: No. 3 (Midwest)

The Big East is literally running through Madison Square Garden with St. John’s beating the conference contenders in back-to-back weeks. After defending home court against Marquette and going into Gampel Pavilion and taking down the defending champions, the Red Storm sit on top of the Big East with a greater chance to play in the tournament without ever leaving the East Coast.

Arizona

Current projected seed: No. 3 (West)

The Wildcats avenged their only Big 12 defeat by outlasting Texas Tech at home to extend the win streak to six. Arizona is 7-2 in its last nine Quad 1 opportunities and is ranked No. 7 in the NET. While they remain a No. 3 seed in the projected bracket, Arizona is now in the West, giving them a geographical boost. A loss to a suddenly hot Kansas State team wasn’t ideal, but Arizona has a big matchup against Houston on deck.

Clemson

Current projected seed: No. 7 (Midwest)

Being the second best team in the ACC doesn’t mean as much as it used to, but Clemson capitalized on a much-needed resume booster to get into the top half of the bracket. After dropping a confusing loss to Georgia Tech, the Tigers rebounded to beat Duke and then pummeled North Carolina. Now a projected seventh seed, Clemson is closer to the same spot it last year’s Elite Eight team was in.

Nebraska

Current projected seed: No. 10 (East)

Nebraska looked dead in the water when it lost six in a row, but the Cornhuskers have rebounded quickly with a four wins in a row that include quality defeats of Illinois, Oregon and Ohio State. Now Fred Hoiberg’s team is looking more secure of landing back-to-back tournament appearances for the first time in two decades, and a chance to capture that elusive first tournament win.

Virginia Commonwealth

Current projected seed: No. 11 seed (First Four)

Can VCU get in the tournament without an Atlantic 10 conference tournament title? So far, the answer is yes, with the Rams winners of three in a row and just one game behind leader George Mason. While the NET ranking of 36 is good, VCU doesn’t have a Quad 1 win and no opportunities left, leaving little room for error for a team with a Quad 4 loss.

Falling

Kansas

Current projected seed: No. 5 (Midwest)

It’s almost deja vu for Bill Self with another slump late in the season resulting in Kansas falling way down the seed line. In the past two weeks, the Jayhawks have had multiple bad results, including a loss to Baylor and an embarrassing effort against in-state rival Kansas State. The schedule is going to get softer for the next few weeks, a perfect time for Kansas to turn things around.

Connecticut

Current projected seed: No. 8 (Midwest)

There the same amount of fear when facing Connecticut, which split its last six games before Tuesday’s defeat of Creighton. A lot more has to go wrong for the Huskies to be in real danger of missing the tournament, but they’ve become such an enigma, it’s tough to tell what team will show up each night. It may result in the defending champions not getting to the second weekend of the tournament.

Oregon

Current projected seed: No. 9 (West)

How the mighty Ducks have fallen. Oregon has gone from a projected No. 3 seed to a team in danger of becoming a double-digit seeded team thanks to a five game losing skid. Before the Ducks can worry about making the tournament, it has to make sure it stays as one of the 15 teams to qualify for the Big Ten tournament − they are just one game ahead of the danger line.

Vanderbilt

Current projected seed: No. 9 (East)

After picking up some impressive wins to start conference play, the toughness of the SEC may finally be getting to Vanderbilt; the Commodores have lost three of its last four. The road won’t get an easier with five consecutive ranked opponents coming after Tuesday’s loss to Auburn. It’s truly sink or swim now for Vanderbilt.

Brigham Young

Current projected seed: First four out.

Brigham Young was trending toward a tournament spot when it won four consecutive games, but another losing skid put the Cougars on the outside of the projected field. With a NET ranking of 41 and a Quad 1 and 2 record of 6-8, BYU can ill afford to lose anymore and continue to let opponents shoot well against it. Beating West Virginia on Tuesday was a good start in getting back into consideration.

Fox Sports’ debut event for LIV Golf produced meager ratings for the broadcaster at the league’s 2025 season-opening event.

Fox averaged only 40,200 viewers for the final round played under the lights in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, which began at 10 a.m. ET on Saturday. While FS1 averaged 54,000 viewers between 10 a.m.-noon ET on Saturday, FS2 averaged only 31,000 for the final three hours, according to Nielsen ratings cited by multiple outlets.

And that was up from the 12,000 average viewers across five hours on FS2 for the first day of the three-round event on Thursday, although that is similar to other daytime programming on the channel, according to Front Office Sports.

Fox Sports has yet to release the official ratings results, which could improve when streaming numbers are included. The timing of the event was moved to make the broadcasts more accessible for viewers in the United States.

It’s a concerning start to Fox’s multi-year media-rights deal with the Saudi-backed league, whose events were broadcast on The CW Network last season with modest ratings. LIV’s Individual Championship averaged 89,000 viewers on The CW last year.

LIV’s second event of the year begins Friday in Adelaide, Australia, before the league travels to Hong Kong and Singapore in March. LIV makes its 2025 United States debut at Trump National Doral in Miami on April 4-6, with the final round slated to air on Fox’s main network on a Sunday afternoon.

LIV’s next three tournaments also are set to be played internationally. The league’s Miami event in April will be a strong test case for Fox, with that final round airing on the main network on a Sunday afternoon — a traditional golf TV window.

Fox Sports announced in January that it will air live coverage of LIV’s 14 tournaments on Fox or FS1, carrying all three rounds of each event.

Select rounds are being broadcast on FS2, Fox Business Network or the Fox Sports App and every round can be streamed on the Fox Sports App and LIV Golf Plus.

LIV Golf CEO Scott O’Neal cited the Fox deal in trumpeting the ‘momentum’ he has seen through his first 40 days since taking the role over from Greg Norman.

‘I’ve seen a U.S. agreement with Fox, broadcast agreement, I’ve seen a UK agreement with ITV to get us over the air in the UK. It’s the only golf that’ll be over the air in the UK,’ O’Neil told reporters in Adelaide on Wednesday. ‘I’ve seen our first pillar partnership with Madden. I’ve seen stars extended. I’ve seen a successful event in Riyadh. I’ve seen interest from all over the world. We’re now broadcast in 100 countries and territories, over 800 million households.

‘From my perspective, we have incredible interest with television broadcast networks, which has been a bit of an Achilles heel for us, sponsors — marketing partners as we call them — seems to be interest like the group has never seen before, attendance seems to be something that’s going in this trajectory.

‘I think that right now we are going to the moon and back. I’m very confident in where we are in this business and the interest we have currently.’

The 2025 Major League Soccer season — the 30th in league history — is quickly approaching.

While the Los Angeles Galaxy enter the season as defending MLS Cup champions and Inter Miami CF are the reigning Supporters’ Shield winners, San Diego FC is the latest expansion club to join the league. San Diego FC is the league’s 30th team.

The regular season will kick off on Saturday, Feb. 22 and will conclude with Decision Day on Saturday, Oct. 18.

In the time leading up to the season openers, teams will be shaping rosters in preparation for a run at MLS Cup 2025.

Follow along here this preseason for transfers, trades and other MLS news and analysis:

Luciano Acosta sold to FC Dallas by FC Cincinnati

Feb. 12 — The Luciano Acosta era at FC Cincinnati is officially over.

After four years of ‘Lucho’ captaining FC Cincinnati through two different technical director/general manager and managerial regimes, Acosta will move within MLS to FC Dallas in the largest cash-for-player trade in league history. FC Cincinnati will receive up to $6 million in exchange for the 2023 Landon Donovan MLS MVP.

Chicago Fire acquire former USMNT player Omar Gonzalez

Feb. 7 — Defender Omar Gonzalez, who has been capped by the U.S. national team 52 times, has joined Chicago Fire FC as a free-agent acquisition.

Gonzalez has bounced around after a decorated tenure with the Los Angeles Galaxy from 2009-2015. With the Galaxy, Gonzalez was part of a club that won three MLS Cups (2011, 2012 and 2014) while being named MLS Rookie of the Year in 2009 and MLS Defender of the Year in 2011. He was a four-time MLS Best XI selection while with the Galaxy. He made his USMNT debut in 2010 and was on Jurgen Klinsmann’s squad for the 2014 World Cup in Brazil, making two starts. Gonzalez’s last USMNT appearance came during the 2019 Gold Cup.

After playing in Liga MX from 2016-19, Gonzalez returned to MLS, where he has experienced a vagabond existence ever since. He played three seasons for Toronto FC (2019-2021), two seasons with the New England Revolution (2022-23) and spent the 2024 season with FC Dallas. The Chicago Fire represent Gonzalez’s fourth team in five years.

Atlanta United acquiring Emmanuel Latte Lath for MLS record fee, per reports

Feb. 3 — Atlanta United’s busy offseason continued with the transfer of striker Emmanuel Latte Lath from English Premier League club Middlesbrough. Atlanta United will pay what will be a league-record fee of around $22 million for Latte Lath, per reports. The current MLS record transfer fee is $16.2 million, which FC Cincinnati paid for Kevin Denkey in November.

Latte Lath, a 26-year-old from Ivory Coast, scored 27 goals in 58 appearances for Middlesbrough, which plays in the EFL Championship.

Atlanta United also brought back midfielder Miguel Almiron, who helped the team win the 2018 MLS Cup. Almiron was an MLS Best XI selection in both of his seasons (2017-18) in Atlanta.

Cucho Hernandez transferred from Columbus Crew to La Liga’s Real Betis

Feb. 3 — The Columbus Crew have transferred star forward Cucho Hernandez to La Liga’s Real Betis in Spain. The transfer fee for Hernandez was for approximately $16 million, according to a source.

Following the closure of La Liga’s winter transfer window on Monday, the Crew officially announced the move.

Last year, Hernandez was the runner-up in the MLS MVP vote behind Inter Miami’s Lionel Messi. The 25-year old’s two goals in the 2024 Leagues Cup final allowed the Crew to defeat Los Angeles FC for the title.

Another key goal for Hernandez with the Crew was his penalty kick in a 2023 MLS Cup victory over LAFC, earning the club its third MLS Cup title. — Brianna Mac Kay, Columbus Dispatch

Philadelphia Union trade USMNT prospect Jack McGlynn to Houston Dynamo

Feb. 3 — U.S. national team prospect Jack McGlynn is on the move.

The Philadelphia Union traded the 21-year-old midfielder to the Houston Dynamo for a $2.1 million fee that includes an additional $1,300,000 if certain performances metrics are met plus a sell on percentage for any future McGlynn transfer.

This deal was consummated due to a new MLS rule that was unveiled in January that allows teams to make up to two trades involving cash, rather than needing to move players or MLS-only assets like allocation money, international spots, or draft picks.

Dejan Joveljic goes from MLS Cup champs to Sporting Kansas City

Feb. 2 — Dejan Joveljic thought he would be part of the Los Angeles Galaxy for a long time.

But after his best MLS season and pivotal part of the franchise’s 2024 title, Joveljic will be looking to further his accolades with Sporting Kansas City.

One day after being acquired for $4 million — the first cash-for-player trade in MLS history — the change in scenery was sinking in for the 25-year-old Serbian.

‘In 2021, I came to the United States for the first time and I had big goals,’ Joveljic said on social media on Sunday. ‘I joined the most historic team in MLS and I wanted to play and score in every match. I had to wait a little longer than I would’ve liked, but I finally showed everyone what my game is about: scoring goals and doing anything and everything for the team to win.’

Joveljic excelled in the 2024 postseason with six goals in five matches. He scored one of LA’s goals in the 2-1 victory over the New York Red Bulls in the MLS Cup title match. — Reuters

Miguel Almiron returns to Atlanta United

Jan. 30 — Atlanta United announced the return of franchise hero Miguel Almiron.

The 31-year-old Paraguay international helped Atlanta claim the 2018 MLS Cup before joining the Premier League’s Newcastle United for a then-record outgoing transfer fee of $27 million.

Almiron returns from Newcastle for a reported $10 million transfer fee, plus add-ons. Atlanta also had to pay Charlotte FC $400,000 in general allocation money to acquire his discovery priority. — Reuters

Five MLS franchises top $1B in Sportico’s latest valuations

Jan. 30 — Five MLS franchises top $1 billion, with the average team worth $721 million, in Sportico’s valuations announced on Thursday.

The other four reaching the $1 billion plateau are superstar Lionel Messi’s Inter Miami ($1.19 billion; 17 percent increase), LA Galaxy ($1.11 billion; 11 percent increase); Atlanta United ($1.08 billion, 3 percent increase) and New York City FC ($1 billion, 19 percent increase).

Inter Miami and the Galaxy each moved up one spot from the 2024 rankings, with Atlanta United slipping two spots.

CF Montreal again ranked last at $450 million, which was a 2 percent increase. — Reuters

New 2025 Leagues Cup format for MLS, LIGA MX clubs

Jan. 30 — The 2025 Leagues Cup will feature 18 of 30 MLS teams and all 18 clubs from LIGA MX, beginning July 29 to the Aug. 31 final. Tournament organizers announced the new format Thursday.

Leagues Cup 2025 will be played in two rounds: Phase One and the Knockout Rounds. Phase One will feature three consecutive match dates per club, and all 54 Phase One matches will be played between MLS and LIGA MX clubs.

New York Red Bulls sign Canadian defender Raheem Edwards

The New York Red Bulls announced the signing of Canadian defender Raheem Edwards.

The two-year deal is pending receipt of his international paperwork and includes an option for 2027.

Edwards, 29, has eight goals and 28 assists in 177 MLS matches with Toronto FC (2016-17), CF Montreal (2018, 2024), the Chicago Fire (2019), Minnesota United (2020), Los Angeles FC (2021) and the Los Angeles Galaxy (2022-23).

Edwards won the MLS Cup and Supporters’ Shield with hometown Toronto FC in 2017. — Reuters

MLS, Apple make push for more viewers; ‘Sunday Night Soccer’ game added for 2025

Jan. 29 — Major League Soccer and Apple are making a major push to reach more viewers in 2025.

Soccer fans with Comcast Xfinity and DirecTV can subscribe and watch MLS Season Pass through the TV providers, while T-Mobile users will be able to access MLS Season Pass for free, the league announced Wednesday.

MLS announces clubs for US Open Cup, Leagues Cup in 2025

Jan. 28 — All 30 Major League Soccer teams will compete in at least one, but no more than two North American competitions during the 2025 MLS season.

MLS announced its qualification structure for the four tournaments — the Concacaf Champions Cup, Leagues Cup, Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup, and Canadian Championship — on Tuesday for the next two seasons. The qualifications will be revisited in the 2027 season. — Safid Deen

NYCFC sells prospect Christian McFarlane to Manchester City

Jan. 27 — New York City FC has sold 18-year-old defender Christian McFarlane to Manchester City, the MLS club announced on Monday.

McFarlane joined NYCFC at age 11 and represented the club at every age category, making his senior debut last season. He is expected to join the academy at City which, like NYCFC, is under the City Football Group ownership umbrella.

In 2021, McFarlane became the third-youngest Homegrown Player signing in MLS history when he signed a pro deal with NYCFC at age 14 years, 234 days.

State of soccer in U.S. 500 days before 2026 World Cup

Jan. 27 — Mark your calendars, soccer fans: The FIFA World Cup 2026 starts in 500 days.

Expect President Donald Trump, reigning World Cup champion Lionel Messi and the U.S. men’s national soccer team to be among those playing major roles in driving attention to the sport and the tournament during the next 500 days.

What is the state of the sport in the United States with about a year and a half until the big tournament? — Safid Deen

MLS NEXT Pro releases 2025 schedule

Jan. 27 — MLS NEXT Pro — the developmental league for Major League Soccer — will kick off its 2025 season on Friday, March 7. This is the earliest season kickoff date for MLS NEXT Pro, which is entering its fourth season.

The 2025 season will include 29 clubs — 27 MLS affiliates and two independent teams (Caronlina Core FC and Chattanooga FC).

More than 155 players have signed MLS first-team contracts after playing in MLS NEXT Pro. That collection of players includes five who played for the U.S. national team during its January friendlies against Venezuela and Costa Rica: defender Max Arfsten and goalkeeper Patrick Schulte of the Columbus Crew, forward Patrick Agyemang of Charlotte FC, midfielder Benjamin Cremaschi of Inter Miami CF and midfielder Jack McGlynn of the Philadelphia Union.

Most MLS NEXT Pro matches will be available to stream on MLS Season Pass on Apple TV.

USMNT’s Luca de la Torre joins San Diego FC on loan

Jan. 21 — San Diego FC has announced the signing of Luca de la Torre on a 12-month loan from Spanish La Liga club Celta Vigo.

The U.S. men’s national team midfielder returns to his hometown ahead of the club’s inaugural season in MLS.

‘We’re thrilled to bring Luca home to San Diego,’ SDFC sporting director Tyler Heaps said. ‘Luca’s journey — competing in some of the world’s top leagues and representing the USMNT — speaks volumes about his dedication and talent.’

New England Revolution sign MLS veteran Maximiliano Urruti

Jan. 16 — The New England Revolution signed forward Maximiliano Urruti to a one-year contract with a club option for 2026.

Urruti, 33, joins the Revolution after spending the 2022 and 2023 seasons with Austin FC, posting 10 goals and two assists in 57 games (38 starts) in that span. In 11 MLS seasons, he has 70 goals and 39 assists in 295 games (218 starts) with Toronto FC, the Portland Timbers, FC Dallas, CF Montreal, the Houston Dynamo and Austin.

The Argentina native ranks ninth in goals and 17th in games played among active MLS players. — Reuters

San Jose Earthquakes sign former MLS MVP Josef Martinez

Jan. 13 — The San Jose Earthquakes signed former MLS MVP Josef Martinez to a one-year contract, the team announced.

The deal with the 31-year-old free agent striker from Venezuela includes a club option for 2026.

Martinez tallied 11 goals in 23 matches with CF Montreal last season, his fifth MLS season with double-digit goals. He has 116 goals and 20 assists in 184 matches with Atlanta United (2017-2022), Inter Miami (2023) and Montreal. — Reuters

First look at ‘Onside: Major League Soccer’

Jan. 9 — A trailer for the eight-part documentary, ‘Onside: Major League Soccer,’ has been released.

‘Onside: Major League Soccer’ will premier on Friday, Feb. 21 on Apple TV+, and is produced by Box To Box Films, the company behind Netflix’s popular ‘Formula 1: Drive to Survive’ series.

The documentary will showcase the biggest moments from the 2024 MLS season, which concluded with the Los Angeles Galaxy winning MLS Cup for the first time in 10 years.

‘Onside: Major League Soccer’ is the latest soccer-themed project from Apple, which includes the docuseries ‘Messi Meets America’ and ‘Messi’s World Cup: The Rise of a Legend,’ as well as the award-winning scripted series ‘Ted Lasso.’

Austin FC adds USMNT forward Brandon Vazquez

Jan. 6 — Austin FC finally has its impact striker.

At least it hopes so.

In what at first glance appears to be a major get for the club, Austin FC signed forward Brandon Vazquez from Mexican side C.F. Monterrey for a club-record transfer fee to a four-year deal through 2028.

Vazquez, 26, who has made 11 appearances for the U.S. men’s national team in the past two years, scored 14 goals in 48 appearances for C.F. Monterrey after joining the club in January 2024. Vazquez spent 2020-23 with FC Cincinnati, where he broke out in 2022 with 20 goals across all competitions. — Colby Gordon, Austin American-Statesman

When does the 2025 MLS season start?

Dec. 19 — The 2025 MLS season will kick off on Saturday, Feb. 22.

Here is the slate of games for ‘MLS is Back’ weekend (all games on  MLS Season Pass on Apple TV):

Saturday, Feb. 22

Inter Miami CF vs. New York City FC, 2:30 p.m. ET
Los Angeles FC vs. Minnesota United FC, 4:30 p.m. ET (FOX)
Atlanta United vs. CF Montreal, 7 p.m. ET
FC Cincinnati vs. New York Red Bulls, 7:30 p.m. ET
Columbus Crew vs. Chicago Fire FC, 7:30 p.m. ET
D.C. United vs. Toronto FC, 7:30 p.m. ET
Orlando City SC vs. Philadelphia Union, 7:30 p.m. ET
Austin FC vs. Sporting Kansas City, 8:30 p.m. ET
Houston Dynamo FC vs. FC Dallas, 8:30 p.m. ET
Nashville SC vs. New England Revolution, 8:30 p.m. ET
St. Louis City SC vs. Colorado Rapids, 8:30 p.m. ET
San Jose Earthquakes vs. Real Salt Lake, 10:30 p.m. ET
Seattle Sounders FC vs. Charlotte FC, 10:30 p.m. ET

Sunday, Feb. 23

Portland Timbers vs. Vancouver Whitecaps FC, 4 p.m. ET
LA Galaxy vs. San Diego FC, 7 p.m. ET

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