MLS Allocation Process

Last update: November 12, 2019

The Allocation Process is the mechanism used to determine which MLS Club has first priority to acquire a player listed on the Allocation Ranking List (see below). The list will consist of (i) select U.S. Men’s National Team players, (ii) elite youth U.S. National Team players, or (iii) former MLS players returning to MLS after joining a non-MLS club for a transfer fee greater than $500,000. Generally, the Allocation Ranking List will be updated once a year on the day after the conclusion of the MLS regular season. The Allocation Ranking List will only be edited during the year if a player is transferred out of the league or if a top youth national team player is added to the list.

The Allocation Ranking Order is set by taking the reverse order of the club’s standings at the end of each MLS Season, taking playoff performance into account, with the new expansion clubs at the top of the order.

Once the club uses its allocation ranking to acquire a player, it drops to the bottom of the list. A ranking can be traded, provided that part of the compensation received in return is the other club’s ranking. At all times, each club is assigned one ranking. The rankings reset at the end of each MLS League season.

Allocation Ranking Order

1. Nashville SC
2. Inter Miami
3. FC Cincinnati
4. Vancouver Whitecaps FC
5. Orlando City SC
6. Sporting Kansas City
7. Columbus Crew SC
8. Houston Dynamo
9. Montreal Impact
10. Chicago Fire
11. Colorado Rapids
12. San Jose Earthquakes
13. New England Revolution
14. FC Dallas
15. New York Red Bulls
16. Portland Timbers
17. Philadelphia Union
18. Minnesota United FC
19. LA Galaxy
20. Real Salt Lake
21. D.C. United
22. New York City FC
23. Atlanta United
24. LAFC
25. Toronto FC
26. Seattle Sounders

2020 Allocation Ranking List

Last update: October 21, 2019

The Allocation Ranking List is comprised of players in the following categories:

• Select U.S. Men’s National Team players.
• Select elite U.S. Youth National Team players.
• Players transferred outside of MLS garnering a transfer fee of at least $500,000 (USD).

The players who will be included on the Allocation Ranking List will be determined by Major League Soccer’s player personnel department and club technical staffs and will be updated once each year, during the time window between the end of the MLS regular season and MLS Cup. The Allocation Ranking List will only be updated during the season if an elite U.S. youth national team player turns 18 or graduates from the U.S. Soccer Residency Program in Bradenton, FL and is deemed eligible for the list. In addition, the Allocation Ranking List will be updated when a player is transferred out of MLS for more than $500,000.

2020 Allocation Ranking Order Transactions

• Philadelphia Union acquired the No. 17 spot in the MLS Allocation Ranking from D.C. United in exchange for the No. 21 spot in the Allocation Ranking and the No. 21 overall pick in the 2020 MLS SuperDraft, pres. by adidas.