Last update: January 4, 2021
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
- Austin FC
- LAFC
- Houston Dynamo
- D.C. United
- Atlanta United
- Chicago Fire FC
- Real Salt Lake
- LA Galaxy
- Vancouver Whitecaps
- Inter Miami CF
- CF Montréal
- San Jose Earthquakes
- New York Red Bulls
- FC Cincinnati
- Colorado Rapids
- Portland Timbers
- New York City FC
- Toronto FC
- Philadelphia Union
- Nashville SC
- FC Dallas
- Orlando City SC
- Sporting Kansas City
- New England Revolution
- Minnesota United
- Seattle Sounders FC
- Columbus Crew SC
2021 Allocation Ranking List
Last update: January 7, 2021
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 | River Plate Asunción (PAR) | Transfer |
Aranguiz, Pablo | Universidad de Chile (CHI) | Transfer |
Cannon, Reggie | Boavista FC (POR) | Transfer |
Carmona, Carlos | Colo-Colo (CHI) | Transfer |
Davies, Alphonso | Bayern Munich (GER) | Transfer |
Durkin, Chris | Sint-Truiden (BEL) | Transfer |
Elis, Alberth | Boavista FC (POR) | Transfer |
Gaber, Omar | Pyramids FC (EGY) | Transfer |
Giovinco, Sebastian | Al-Hilal Riyadh (SAU) | Transfer |
Harrison, Jack | Leeds United (ENG) | Transfer |
Horta, Andre | SC Braga (POR) | Transfer |
Hwang, InBeom | Rubin Kazan (RUS) | Transfer |
Ibarra, Romario | CF Pachuca (MEX) | Transfer |
Johnson, Fabian | Without club | Senior USMNT |
Larin, Cyle | Besiktas (TUR) | Transfer |
Martinez, Pity | Al-Nassr FC (KSA) | Transfer |
Martins, Obafemi | Wuhan Zall (CHN) | Transfer |
McKenzie, Mark | KRC Genk (BEL) | Transfer |
Miazga, Matt | RSC Anderlecht (BEL) | Transfer |
Murillo, Michael | RSC Anderlecht (BEL) | Transfer |
Nedyalkov, Anton | Ludogorets Razgrad (BUL) | Transfer |
Ondrasek, Zdenek | FC Viktoria Plzen (CZE) | Transfer |
Perez, Manny | Celtic (SCO) | Youth USMNT |
Poku, Kwadwo | Without club | Transfer |
Pulisic, Christian | Chelsea (ENG) | Senior USMNT |
Ream, Tim | Fulham (ENG) | Transfer |
Richards, Chris | Bayern Munich (GER) | Transfer |
Rivero, Octavio | Santos Laguna (MEX) | Transfer |
Rochat, Alain | Retired | Transfer |
Sanvezzo, Camilo | Mazatlán FC (MEX) | Transfer |
Sargent, Josh | Werder Bremen (GER) | Senior USMNT |
Savarino, Jefferson | Clube Atlético Mineiro (BRA) | Transfer |
Silva, Alejandro | Olimpia (PAR) | Transfer |
Steffen, Zack | Manchester City (ENG) | Transfer |
Taider, Saphir | Al-Ain (KSA) | Transfer |
Valencia, Jose Adolfo | Delfín SC (ECU) | Transfer |
Vazquez, Victor | Without club | Transfer |
Villalba, Hector | Club Libertad(PAR) | Transfer |
Yedlin, DeAndre | Newcastle United (ENG) | Transfer |
Yotun, Yoshi | Cruz Azul (MEX) | Transfer |
2021 Allocation Ranking Order Transactions
- Jan. 8, 2019: LAFC acquired the No. 2 spot in the Allocation Ranking Order in a 2019 trade with FC Cincinnati