• Loading stock data...
Thursday, October 30, 2025
Want a chance to win $250 and free FOS gear? Take our quick reader survey. Take the survey here

Seattle Sounders Protest Tiny Share of Club World Cup Prize Money

Teams are set to get more than $9 million each, but their players would all share $1 million.

Jun 1, 2025; Seattle, Washington, USA; Seattle Sounders FC forward Danny Musovski (19), midfielder Obed Vargas (18) and midfielder Paul Rothrock (14) wear t-shirts to protest FIFA Club World Cup bonus sharing from MLS while participating in pregame warmups against the Minnesota United at Lumen Field.
Joe Nicholson-Imagn Images

Less than two weeks out from kickoff of the expanded FIFA Club World Cup, one MLS team took a stand for fair pay.

The Seattle Sounders, one of just three MLS teams in the upcoming U.S.-based tournament, wore pregame shirts reading “Club World Ca$h Grab” with an image of Mr. Monopoly wearing an “MLS” hat holding a “FIFA” money bag, with “Fair Share Now” on the back.

The protest reflects the massive increase in prize money for FIFA’s previously minor tournament, which is expanding from seven to 32 teams this year. The total purse is $1 billion, with North American teams receiving $9.55 million each for participation.

The players, however, are only set to receive a small piece of that pie. The MLS Players Association says the league and owners have held up an “out-of-date” part of the 2021-ratified collective bargaining agreement that says teams must share no more than $1 million with its players. That means players would split around one-tenth of the club’s entry prize, and receive no additional winnings if they advance in the tournament.

In the group stage, teams earn $2 million for a win and $1 million for a draw. Prizes continue to grow throughout the knockout round, and the winning club will walk away with $125 million. (Real Madrid has said each of its players will get a bonus of roughly $1.1 million if the squad wins the tournament.) Along with the Sounders, Los Angeles FC and Lionel Messi’s Inter Miami are competing in the tournament, which will air on TNT Sports and DAZN.

The MLSPA released a statement Sunday saying “all MLS players stand united” with the Sounders. The union said the upcoming tournament “piles on to players’ ever-increasing workload without regard to their physical well-being,” and that MLS has “refused to allocate a fair percentage” of Club World Cup prize money to players. The account also posted a photo of the Sounders squad posing in their shirts.

“For months, the players have privately and respectfully invited the league to discuss bonus terms, yet MLS has failed to bring forward a reasonable proposal,” the statement read. “Instead of recognizing the players who have brought MLS to the global stage, the league—which routinely asks the PA to deviate from the CBA—is clinging to an out-of-date CBA provision and ignoring longstanding international standards on what players typically receive from FIFA prize money in global competitions.”

Representatives from FIFA were in Seattle Sunday for the Club World Cup trophy tour. The tournament begins June 14 in Miami.

When the CBA initially ratified the agreement in 2021, no one would have imagined the Club World Cup could have brought in the sort of financial windfall for MLS teams it is now. FIFA first announced the significant expansion of the tournament in December 2022, and revealed the 10-figure purse this March. The Sounders were the first ever U.S. team to play in the Club World Cup during its last edition, which was called the 2022 tournament but played in February 2023; they lost in the second round.

An MLS spokesperson declined to comment.

FIFA has received backlash for beefing up the Club World Cup amid an already overloaded soccer calendar. Next summer’s World Cup, also hosted by the U.S., is growing from 32 teams to 48, increasing the number of matches from 64 to 104. The UEFA Champions League also grew this year, and the Concacaf Gold Cup, which features national rather than club teams, is happening this summer at the same time as the Club World Cup.

Messi sat out Inter Miami’s second MLS match of the season in March because he had already played three matches in seven days thanks to the Concacaf Champions Cup. That tournament also wrapped Sunday, with MLS’s Vancouver Whitecaps falling to LIGA MX’s Cruz Azul.

Linkedin
Whatsapp
Copy Link
Link Copied
Link Copied

What to Read

Oct 24, 2025; Fort Lauderdale, Florida, USA; Inter Miami CF forward Lionel Messi (10) looks on against Nashville SC during the first half at Chase Stadium.

Lionel Messi: MLS Can’t Grow Without More Spending Power

The Inter Miami star recently signed a contract extension through 2028.
Alexis Ohanian

Alexis Ohanian: Angel City Ownership Setup Was a ‘Terrible Idea’

He admits that the NWSL club’s governance was a disaster.

Turkish Soccer Says It Has Widespread Ref Gambling Problem

The scandal involves hundreds of professional soccer referees.

Sports Equinox 2025 Shows How Fragmented Sports TV Has Become

Multiple streaming services are needed to watch Monday’s games.

Featured Today

September 21, 2025; Santa Clara, California, USA; NFL commissioner Roger Goodell before the game between the San Francisco 49ers and the Arizona Cardinals at Levi's Stadium

NFL Fall Meeting: 7 Big Topics Among Team Owners 

Media, facilities, and labor highlight some of the key areas of concern.
Ohio State Buckeyes running back Isaiah West (32) runs the ball in the second half at Camp Randall Stadium on Saturday, Oct. 18, 2025 in Madison, Wisconsin
October 25, 2025

NIL Has Birthed a Third-Party Cottage Industry—and It’s a Mess

There’s no limit to how much players can make from NIL deals.
Christie's
October 21, 2025

Lou Gehrig’s $4M Jersey and the Exploding Sports Memorabilia Market

An ultra-rare sports collection is about to hit the auction block.
@chef__tezz/Instagram
October 19, 2025

Inside the NFL’s Private Chef Network

Private chefs are the unsung architects of player performance.
Aug 24, 2025; Washington, District of Columbia, USA; Seattle Storm center Dominique Malonga (14) celebrates with Seattle Storm guard Skylar Diggins (4) during the second half against the Washington Mystics at CareFirst Arena.

Dominique Malonga Headlines Unrivaled’s Final Player Announcements

Aari McDonald and Rebecca Allen are also joining Unrivaled.
Terry Rozier
October 29, 2025

NBA Union Says It Will Fight Decision to Withhold Rozier’s Pay

Rozier has one year and $26.3 million left on his contract.
Sep 13, 2025; Tokyo, Japan; World Athletics president Sebastian Coe at the World Athletics Championships opening ceremonies at National Stadium.
October 30, 2025

World Athletics Finds $1.7 Million Stolen by Employees

It will use the “full force of the law” to recuperate losses.
Sponsored

How HOKA is Reimagining the NIL Relationship

TNT Sports is going all-in on college athletics—bringing fans closer and giving brands a powerful new way to connect.
October 28, 2025

WNBA Proposes 30-Day Extension on CBA Negotiations

The CBA expires Oct. 31; a deal is not expected by then.
Napheesa Collier
October 28, 2025

WNBA, Players Remain Far Apart With CBA Deadline Days Away 

A union lawyer says a deal will not be reached by Friday.
October 28, 2025

Shohei Ohtani’s Historic World Series Game 3 Sets Up High-Stakes Game 4

Ohtani will start Game 4 on the mound after another epic performance Monday.
Oct 26, 2025; Los Angeles, California, USA; The 2025 World Series logo on the field at Dodger Stadium.
October 27, 2025

Dodger Stadium Games Could Push MLB Payouts to Record Highs

The Dodgers’ big ballpark and ticket prices help fuel postseason player pay.