MLS International Roster Slots are an important piece of roster composition in Major League Soccer. MLS employs a variety of mechanisms to promote parity and domestic player development which include player entry drafts, expansion drafts, allocation drafts, weighted lotteries, and a limit on the number of international roster slots available for each team. The limit on the number of international roster slots makes each slot a valuable commodity for teams to utilize through player signings or trades with other teams.

The MLS roster rules for 2025 state: A total of 241 international roster slots are divided among the 30 teams. In 2008, each MLS team was given the right to have eight international players on its roster and each subsequent expansion teams were given the right to have eight international roster slots for its inaugural season. These roster slots are tradable, in full season increments, such that some teams may have more than eight and some teams may have fewer than eight. There is no limit on the number of international roster slots on each team's roster. For teams based in the United States, a domestic player is either: a U.S. citizen; a permanent resident (green card holder); or the holder of other special status (e.g., has been granted refugee or asylum status); or a player who qualifies under the Homegrown International Rule. For teams based in Canada, a domestic player is either: a Canadian citizen; or the holder of certain other special status (e.g., has been granted refugee or asylum status); or a player who qualifies under the Homegrown International Rule; or a U.S. Domestic Player. MLS teams based in Canada are required to have a minimum of three Canadian Domestic Players on their rosters. In addition to the International Roster Slots, each Canadian club is permitted to designate up to three International Players who have been under contract with MLS and registered with one or more Canadian clubs for at least one year who will not count toward the club’s International Roster Slots. Homegrown International Rule: regardless of nationality, any player who meets the requirements to qualify as a Homegrown Player as a member of an MLS team academy, either in the U.S. or Canada, or has met similar requirements as a member of a Canadian Approved Youth Club, will count as a domestic player on both U.S. and Canadian team rosters provided that: the player became a member of an MLS team academy, either in the U.S. or Canada, or a Canadian Approved Youth Club in the year prior to the year in which he turns 16; and the player signs his first professional contract with MLS or an MLS team's MLS Next Pro affiliate.

Source:

Current international roster slots by team

Team Total slots International Players DL L SEIL Open slots International players under contract Atlanta United FC 8 7 0 0 0 1 Abram, Almirón, Amador, Klich, Latte Lath, Lobzhanidze, Miranchuk Austin FC 9 7 0 0 0 2 Biro, Bukari, Dubersarsky, Obrian, Sabovic, Svatok, Uzuni Charlotte FC 8 8 0 0 0 0 Abada, Biel, Diani, Doumbia, Petković, Tavares, Toklomati, Zaha Chicago Fire 8 9 0 1 0 0 Bamba, Barroso, Cuypers, D’Avilla, Glasgow, Haile-Selassie, Kouamé, Koutsias (on loan with Lugano), Zinckernagel FC Cincinnati 7 5 0 0 0 2 Bucha, Denkey, Engel, Flores, Orellano Colorado Rapids 4 5 1 0 0 0 Amadou, Awaziem, FadalDL, Maxsø, Ronan Columbus Crew 8 7 0 0 0 1 Camacho, Chambost, Cheberko, Farsi, Herrera, Lappalainen, Moreira D.C. United 8 7 0 0 0 1 Benteke, Enow, Kim, Peglow, Peltola, Rowles, Schnegg FC Dallas 9 11 0 2 1 1 Augusto, Cafumana, JesusSEIL, Delgado, Kaick, Musa, Pedrinho, Ramiro, Sainté (on loan with Phoenix Rising), Sali (on loan with Al-Riyadh), Urhoghide Houston Dynamo 8 9 1 0 0 0 Ennali, Kowalczyk, Lingr, Olusanya, Ortiz, Ponce, QuiñónesDL, Urso, Gyamfi Inter Miami CF 14 14 0 0 0 0 Alba, Allende, Bright, Busquets, Falcón, Luján, Martínez, Messi, Obando, Rodríguez, Segovia, Suárez, Ustari, Weigandt LA Galaxy 11 13 1 1 0 0 Aude, Garcés, Jørgensen, Mićović, Nascimento, Paintsil, Pec, PuigDL, Reus, Sanabria, Vivi (on loan with Deportivo Saprissa), Yamane, Yoshida Los Angeles FC 11 10 1 0 0 2 Bouanga, DellavalleDL, Holm, Jesus, Lloris, Martínez, Palencia, Smolyakov, Ünder, Yeboah Minnesota United FC 8 9 0 2 0 1 Bran (on loan with Alajuelense), Díaz, Duggan, Gene, Jeong, Kmeť (on loan with Górnik Zabrze), Pereyra, Romero, Yeboah CF Montreal 5 9 0 2 0 1 Adedokun (on loan with Lexington SC), Bugaj, Cóccaro (on loan with Atlas), Ibrahim+, Loturi, Opoku+, Owusu+, Pearce, Synchuk Nashville SC 5 6 0 1 0 0 Pacius (on loan with Tampa Bay Rowdies), Palacios, Qasem, Surridge, Tagseth, Yazbek New England Revolution 8 9 0 1 0 0 Ceballos, Chancalay, Feingold, Fofana, Ganago, Ivačič, Langoni, OyirwothL, Yusuf New York City FC 8 5 0 1 0 4 Martínez, Mijatović (on loan with OH Leuven), O'Neill, Tanasijević, Wolf New York Red Bulls 11 13 1 1 0 0 Bogacz, Carballo, Choupo-Moting, Donkor, Eile, Forsberg, Gjengaar, Hack, Mina (on loan with Estrela da Amadora), Morales, MorganDL, Sofo, Valencia Orlando City SC 7 8 0 0 2 1 Atuesta, Caraballo, CartagenaSEIL, Gerbet, Muriel, Pašalić, Rodríguez, TsukadaSEIL Philadelphia Union 7 7 0 0 0 0 Baribo, Damiani, Glavinovich, Jacques, Lukić, Makhanya, Semmle Portland Timbers 6 6 0 0 0 1 Da Costa, Fory, Kelsy, Ortiz, Pantemis, Surman Real Salt Lake 11 14 1 2 1 1 Agada, Ajago (on loan with Lexington SC), Barea, BellDL, Brook, BrownSEIL, Cabral, Gonçalves, Katranis, Lambert (on loan with Louisville City FC), Marczuk, Ojeda, Palacio, Piol San Diego FC 9 9 0 1 0 1 Ángel, Bruseth (On loan with Sarpsborg 08), Diop, Dreyer, Duah, Kumado, McNair, Tverskov, Valakari San Jose Earthquakes 6 6 0 1 0 1 Costa, Daniel, López (on loan with Argentinos Juniors), Pellegrino, Rodrigues, Wilson Seattle Sounders FC 4 4 0 0 0 0 de la Vega, Kim, Kent, Minoungou Sporting Kansas City 7 5 0 0 0 2 Bassong, Fernández, García, Joveljic, Suleymanov St. Louis City 8 8 0 1 0 1 Alm, Baumgartl, Bürki, Hartel, Jeong, Klauss, Pidro (on loan with Velež Mostar), Wallem Toronto FC 10 11 0 1 0 2 Brynhildsen, Coello+, Dominguez, Flores, Gomis, Insigne, Long, Mailula (on loan with Wydad AC), Monlouis, Petretta+, Rosted Vancouver Whitecaps FC 8 8 0 0 0 3 Bovalina, Cubas+, Gauld+, Laborda, Ocampo, Ngando, Takaoka, Veselinović+ Total 241 249 6 18 4 29

Key DL – Player is on the disabled list (DL) and does not occupy international slot while on the DL L – Player is away on loan and does not occupy international slot while out on loan SEIL – Player is on the season-ending injury list (SEIL) and does not occupy international slot while on the SEIL + – In addition to the International Roster Slots, each Canadian Club is permitted to designate up to three International Players who have been under contract with MLS and registered with one or more Canadian clubs for at least one year who will not count toward the club’s International Roster Slots.

Active international roster slot trades Trade date Slot acquired by For use through Acquired from Slot acquired in exchange for Colorado Rapids Permanent Real Salt Lake For Adolfo Gregorio New York Red Bulls Permanent Houston Dynamo For allocation money Vancouver Whitecaps FC Colorado Rapids For Sanna Nyassi

Future international roster slot trades Trade date Slot acquired by For use starting For use through Acquired from Slot acquired in exchange for

References