Last update: April 29, 2021
The Allocation Process is the mechanism used to determine which club has first priority to acquire a player listed on the Allocation Ranking List. This list will consist of (i) select U.S. Men's National Team players, (ii) select youth U.S. National Team players, and/or (iii) former MLS players returning to MLS after joining a non-MLS club for an outgoing transfer fee of $500,000 or more. Generally, the League will update the Allocation Ranking List once a year (typically after the conclusion of the MLS Regular Season), but may make additional updates in its sole discretion, including, but not limited to, adding players transferred out of MLS and top U.S. youth national team players. (2021 MLS Competition Guidelines)
Allocation Ranking Order
- Austin FC
- Los Angeles Football Club
- Houston Dynamo
- DC United
- Atlanta United
- Chicago Fire
- Real Salt Lake
- Vancouver Whitecaps
- Inter Miami
- CF Montreal
- 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 SC
- Los Angeles Galaxy
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.
Allocation Ranking List Players:
- Adams, Tyler - Transfer
- Almiron, Miguel - Transfer
- Anangono, Juan - Transfer
- Aranguiz, Pablo - Transfer
- Cannon, Reggie - Transfer
- Carmona, Carlos - Transfer
- Davies, Alphonso - Transfer
- Durkin, Chris - Transfer
- Elis, Alberth - Transfer
- Gaber, Omar - Transfer
- Giovinco, Sebastian - Transfer
- Harrison, Jack - Transfer
- Horta, Andre - Transfer
- Hwang, InBeom - Transfer
- Ibarra, Romario - Transfer
- Johnson, Fabian - Senior USMNT
- Larin, Cyle - Transfer
- Martinez, Pity - Transfer
- Martins, Obafemi - Transfer
- McKenzie, Mark - Transfer
- Miazga, Matt - Transfer
- Murillo, Michael - Transfer
- Nedyalkov, Anton - Transfer
- Ondrasek, Zdenek - Transfer
- Perez, Manny - Youth USMNT
- Poku, Kwadwo - Transfer
- Pulisic, Christian - Senior USMNT
- Ream, Tim - Transfer
- Richards, Chris - Transfer
- Rivero, Octavio - Transfer
- Rochat, Alain - Retired - Transfer
- Sanvezzo, Camilo - Transfer
- Sargent, Josh - Senior USMNT
- Savarino, Jefferson - Transfer
- Silva, Alejandro - Transfer
- Steffen, Zack - Transfer
- Taider, Saphir - Transfer
- Valencia, Jose Adolfo - Transfer
- Vazquez, Victor - Transfer
- Villalba, Hector - Transfer
- Yedlin, DeAndre - Transfer
- Yotun, Yoshi - 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
