The math behind Messi’s Inter Miami deal
Lionel Messi earns between $70 million and $80 million annually through a combination of base salary and commercial revenue sharing with partners like Apple and Adidas. His contract utilizes the MLS Designated Player rule and includes potential equity in the club.
Salary and the Designated Player rule
Messi earns $25 million in base salary for the 2026 season, while his total compensation hits between $70 million and $80 million when factoring in commercial revenue sharing and endorsements. This puts his 2026 cap hit at $28,333,333 as a Designated Player. Under the MLS Designated Player rule, Inter Miami pays the portion of the salary exceeding the $612,500 salary budget charge. This rule allowed the club to sign Messi despite a base salary cap of $5,470,000. Xherdan Shaqiri earned $8.1 million with the Chicago Fire, which shows how much Messi outearns the rest of the league. You should ignore the surface-level headlines and focus on how the club uses the Designated Player exception to bypass strict roster limits. His original 2023 contract totaled $150 million over two and a half years and included a signing bonus and equity stake. He chose this deal after rejecting a three-year, $1.5 billion offer from the Saudi League.
| Metric | 2026 Figure |
|---|---|
| Base Salary | $25,000,000 |
| Cap Hit | $28,333,333 |
| Total Annual Earnings | $70,000,000 to $80,000,000 |
Commercial revenue and brand clauses
The contract includes profit-sharing agreements with Adidas, Apple, and Fanatics. Messi receives a portion of revenue from MLS Season Pass subscribers through Apple TV, following a ten-year, $2.5 billion agreement between Apple and the MLS. Apple TV gained 300,000 new subscribers, creating an estimated profit of $29.7 million. His Adidas deal includes a profit-sharing component for increases in Adidas sales related to MLS, which includes his $160 jersey. A 2021 sponsorship agreement includes a clause that doubles the sponsorship fee if the club signs a player with at least five Ballon d’Or awards. This mechanism ensured that the arrival of an eight-time winner like Messi would trigger a massive influx of cash for the club. Because Messi holds a lifetime contract with Adidas, his additional profit-sharing deals generate substantial income beyond his team salary. In 2024, he earned an additional $79 million from deals with brands like Adidas, Hard Rock International, and Apple TV. These commercial agreements effectively turn the player into a corporate partner rather than a standard employee. Since his arrival, Inter Miami’s Instagram account grew from 1 million to 14 million followers, and the club reported $265 million in ticket sales in a single month. Does the league prioritize these massive individual deals over the stability of the collective bargaining agreement?
Ownership stakes and the 2028 extension
Messi has an option to purchase a stake in Inter Miami upon retirement, with rumors suggesting the stake could reach 35% of the club. The club valuation reached $1.45 billion following his arrival, growing from $585 million in 2022. This ownership component adds significant wealth to his total contract value. He signed a three-year extension through the 2028 season, which covers his time at the new Miami Freedom Park stadium. This extension ensures he remains in Miami even as teammates like Sergio Busquets and Jordi Alba retire. The deal remains a lopsided arrangement because the club pays him tens of millions while he potentially becomes a part-owner. Messi’s decision to stay in Miami is significant for the league because he was the overwhelming choice to win the MLS MVP award again this year, which would make him the first player to win it in back-to-back years. Messi’s career earnings will top $1.6 billion by the end of 2025, showing the scale of his financial reach. This contract allows him to benefit from the club’s growth through both direct wages and future equity. Messi is 38. This contract is likely his last as a professional player. The new stadium sits within a 131-acre entertainment and commercial district that opens in phases beginning in 2026.
