The 2022 MLS salary budget was set at $4,900,000 per team. This represented the total amount each club could spend on player salaries during the 2022 season, not including designated player salaries above the designated player threshold.
This salary budget was part of MLS's roster rules and regulations designed to maintain competitive balance across the league. Teams could exceed this budget through mechanisms like General Allocation Money (GAM) and Targeted Allocation Money (TAM), which allowed clubs to buy down designated player salaries or increase the salary budget for specific player acquisitions.
The $4,900,000 figure was a significant increase from previous years as MLS continued to grow its investment in player salaries and overall league quality. This budget applied to all MLS teams and was enforced through the league's salary cap system.