A week after the Seattle Sounders and the MLS Players Association (MLSPA) publicly criticized the prize money distribution for the FIFA Club World Cup, tensions remain high as negotiations over revisions to the Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) have yielded little progress. The dispute has sparked heated exchanges, with players accusing Major League Soccer (MLS) of strong-arm tactics and inadequate offers, while the league pushes back against the union’s demands.
Last week, Sounders players made a bold statement by wearing T-shirts emblazoned with “Club World Cash Grab” during warm-ups, signaling their frustration with the limited prize money allocated to players from the three MLS clubs competing in the tournament: the Sounders, LAFC, and Inter Miami CF. Under the current CBA, players are entitled to 50% of prize money, capped at $1 million, for undefined tournaments like the Club World Cup—a competition that didn’t exist when the CBA was negotiated.
An update on Club World Cup Bonuses.
MLS spent most of last week making threats and promising retaliation against the MLSPA and players because Seattle players wore t-shirts that expressed frustration over the league’s refusal to engage about Club World Cup compensation.
More… pic.twitter.com/jAz06ASGYw
— MLSPA (@MLSPA) June 8, 2025
Each of the three qualifying MLS teams was awarded $9.55 million in base prize money for the tournament, with LAFC securing an additional $250,000 after defeating Liga MX’s Club América in a one-match playoff. Teams stand to earn significantly more for wins, draws, or advancing deeper into the competition, intensifying the stakes of the dispute.
The MLSPA escalated the conflict on Sunday, accusing MLS of spending the past week “making threats and promising retaliation” against the union and players, specifically targeting the Sounders for their T-shirt protest. The union claims MLS has refused to engage meaningfully on revising Club World Cup compensation. Reports from ESPN and The Athletic indicate that MLS presented a revised offer on Friday, proposing players receive an additional 20% of performance-related prize money for wins, draws, and advancement. The MLSPA dismissed this as “below the international standard,” arguing it falls short of fair compensation for the players’ efforts.
The timing of the offer—just 48 hours before Seattle’s match against Vancouver Whitecaps FC and LAFC’s clash with Sporting Kansas City—added to the strain on players preparing for the global stage. “MLS’s refusal to negotiate in good faith has created a major distraction for the players who should be focusing on preparing for a major international competition,” the MLSPA stated. “However, players will not be silenced by threats from MLS. The players remain united in using their collective voice and demanding a fair share of the rewards earned from their hard work.”
In a show of solidarity, several Sounders and LAFC players took to social media on Sunday, posting “Fair Share Now” to amplify their stance. Notably, Inter Miami CF players have remained silent on the issue, despite their team being the first MLS side to compete in the tournament, facing Egypt’s Al-Ahly in the opening match on June 14.
As the FIFA Club World Cup approaches, the unresolved conflict casts a shadow over the MLS teams’ preparations, with players and the league locked in a contentious battle over what constitutes a fair share of the tournament’s lucrative rewards.