Last update: July 31, 2020
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
- FC Cincinnati
- Vancouver Whitecaps FC
- Orlando City SC
- Sporting Kansas City
- Columbus Crew SC
- Houston Dynamo
- Montreal Impact
- Chicago Fire
- Colorado Rapids
- San Jose Earthquakes
- New England Revolution
- FC Dallas
- New York Red Bulls
- Portland Timbers
- Philadelphia Union
- Minnesota United FC
- LA Galaxy
- Real Salt Lake
- D.C. United
- New York City FC
- Nashville SC
- Toronto FC
- Seattle Sounders
- LAFC
- Inter Miami CF
- Atlanta United
2020 Allocation Ranking List
Last update: July 31, 2020
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.
| Player | Current club | Classification |
|---|---|---|
| Adams, Tyler | RB Leipzig (GER) | Transfer |
| Almiron, Miguel | Newcastle United (ENG) | Transfer |
| Anangono, Juan | LDU Quito (ECU) | Transfer |
| Cameron, Geoff | Queens Park Rangers (ENG) | Transfer |
| Carmona, Carlos | Colo-Colo (CHI) | Transfer |
| Castillo, Fabian | Club Tijuana (MEX) | Transfer |
| Davies, Alphonso | Bayern Munich (GER) | Transfer |
| Diaz, Mauro | Shabab Al-Ahli (UAE) | Transfer |
| Gaber, Omar | Pyramids FC (EGY) | Transfer |
| Giovinco, Sebastian | Al-Hilal (SAU) | Transfer |
| Harrison, Jack | Leeds United (ENG) | Transfer |
| Horta, Andre | Braga (POR) | Transfer |
| Johnson, Fabian | Borussia Monchengladbach (GER) | Senior USMNT |
| Larin, Cyle | Besiktas (TUR) | Transfer |
| Lawrence, Kemar | Anderlecht (BEL) | Transfer |
| Martins, Obafemi | Shanghai Greenland Shenhua (CHN) | Transfer |
| Miazga, Matt | FC Nantes (FRA) | Transfer |
| Nedyalkov, Anton | Ludogorets Razgrad (BUL) | Transfer |
| Perez, Manny | Celtic (SCO) | Youth USMNT |
| Poku, Kwadwo | Tampa Bay Rowdies (USL) | Transfer |
| Pulisic, Christian | Chelsea (ENG) | Senior USMNT |
| Ream, Tim | Fulham (ENG) | Transfer |
| Richards, Chris | Bayern Munich (GER) | Transfer |
| Rivero, Octavio | Atlas (MEX) | Transfer |
| Rochat, Alain | Lausanne-Sport (SWI) | Transfer |
| Sanvezzo, Camilo | Club Tijuana (MEX) | Transfer |
| Sargent, Josh | Werder Bremen (GER) | Senior USMNT |
| Silva, Alejandro | Olimpia (PAR) | Transfer |
| Steffen, Zack | Fortuna Dusseldorf (GER) | Transfer |
| Valencia, Jose Adolfo | Feirense (POR) | Transfer |
| Vazquez, Victor | Al-Arabi (QAT) | Transfer |
| Villalba, Hector | Club Libertad(PAR) | Transfer |
| Yedlin, DeAndre | Newcastle United (ENG) | Transfer |
| Yotun, Yoshi | Cruz Azul (MEX) | Transfer |
2020 Allocation Ranking Order Transactions
- Nov. 12, 2019: 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.
- Feb. 26: Nashville SC traded the No. 1 spot in the MLS Allocation Ranking to LAFC for $350,000 in General Allocation Money, LAFC's natural second-round selection in the 2022 SuperDraft and the No. 24 spot in the MLS Allocation Ranking.
- June 17: LAFC use No. 1 spot in MLS Allocation Ranking to sign Andy Najar.
- July 1: Inter Miami CF use No. 1 spot in MLS Allocation Ranking to sign Leandro Gonzalez Pirez.
- July 31: Atlanta United use No. 21 spot in MLS Allocation Ranking to sign Erick "Cubo" Torres.
