The MLS salary budget cap for the 2022 season was $4.9 million per team. This represented the maximum amount each club could spend on their entire roster's salaries, not including designated players above the budget charge threshold.
The $4.9 million budget included all player salaries and bonuses, with designated players counting against the budget at a reduced rate. Teams could exceed this amount through various mechanisms like Targeted Allocation Money (TAM) and General Allocation Money (GAM), but the base budget served as the foundation for roster construction.
This salary budget was part of MLS's broader roster rules and regulations designed to maintain competitive balance across the league. The budget has increased in subsequent years as part of the league's growth and the collective bargaining agreement with the MLS Players Association.