MLS Announces 2025 Roster Rules

See how the Revs and other MLS clubs can build their roster for the upcoming season!

© J. Alexander Dolan

While teams continue preparation for the upcoming season, the league finalized and announced the roster rules for 2025.

As usual, clubs can have up to 20 players on the senior roster, with spots 19 and 20 optional. Individual players on the senior roster salary budget charge must be less than or equal to $743,750.

2025 sees clubs receive one additional spot on the supplemental roster, which now rises to 11 spots that do not count toward the salary budget of $5,950,000.

Slots 21 through 24 may be filled by senior minimum salary players, including Homegrown Players and Generation Adidas Players. Players used in these slots must have a base salary of at least the senior minimum, which is $104,000.

Slots 25 through 30 may be filled by players making the reserve minimum salary ($80,622), which can include Homegrown Players or Generation Adidas Players. Additionally, players in these slots must be 24 or younger during the league year.

The 31st and final roster slot may be filled by a player on a season-long loan with a lower-level division in the United States or Canada. They must also be 24-years-old or younger and have a salary budget charge less than or equal to the MLS senior minimum salary. Players in the 31st are ineligible to compete in MLS action except as a short-term loan agreement.

2025’s roster rules will also see a “Homegrown Player Subsidy”. Homegrowns in spots 21 through 30 can earn up to $125,000 above the reserve minimum salary or senior minimum salary if occupying slots 21 through 24.

The subsidy will also allow clubs to use up to $200,000 of Targeted Allocation Money or General Allocation Money to sign new Homegrown Players to their first MLS contract.

This past summer saw the introduction of “Roster Paths”, which allowed clubs to choose from a Designated Player or Under-22 path. The Designated Player path sees teams have three DP spots alongside three U-22 spots. The Under-22 path sees clubs sacrifice a DP slot in exchange for an additional U-22 spot (2 DP’s and 4 U-22’s).

Clubs must decide what path to take and have their roster compliant by February 21st.

The primary transfer window started on January 31st and runs through April 23rd. The secondary transfer window will open on July 24th and runs through August 21st. Clubs will have the opportunity to change their roster path starting July 1st through the end of the secondary transfer window.