What are Discovery Rights & free agency rules in MLS?

MLS has grown into one of the most popular leagues around the globe.

With the introduction of big-name players like Lionel Messi and Luis Suarez, Major League Soccer (MLS), one of the quickest-growing leagues in world sports, has experienced a sharp increase in popularity in recent years.

It is easy to understand why soccer is starting to gain popularity when you consider the attention and hype that come with being one of the co-hosts of the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

Players, especially those competing at the top level of European soccer, find playing Stateside to be appealing.

It gives them the opportunity to try new things and try their hand at a different level, in addition to the additional attention and notoriety that comes with it. ‘Discovery Rights’ is a concept that is starting to circulate more as rumours of transfer interest in players like Paul Pogba and Kevin De Bruyne surface.

Soccer fans should be well-versed with this phrase, which is a crucial component of the MLS rules and regulations. What exactly is it, though, and how has it been applied since its creation? Read on to learn all you need to know.

What are the Discovery Rights and free agency rules in Major League Soccer?

In the rest of the soccer world, any player can be purchased by a team for any sum of money and given a contract worth any wage; however, this is not the case in Major League Soccer.

Rather, roster creation assumes a distinct and relatively complicated form, with Discover Lists being one of the more difficult, to put it mildly.

In essence, a Discovery List, which has been in place since the league’s founding in 1996, enables an MLS team to acquire the rights to any player worldwide should he want to join them.

The procedure starts when the club adds the player to a list (up to seven names can appear on the list) and then verifies with league officials that the player is not on any other teams’ lists.

MLS clubs frequently use this strategy with well-known international players; for instance, Sporting Kansas City were granted the “Discovery Rights” to Cristiano Ronaldo when it became apparent that he intended to leave European football.

The club in question gets the first opportunity to negotiate with the player because they have the Discovery Rights. However, if the original club is unable to come to an agreement, teams can trade for the player’s Discovery Rights.

Meanwhile, the Free agent rule says that after five years of MLS service and being at least 24 years old, a player is eligible to become a free agent. Additionally, they also qualify if their contract option is rejected, and if they are out of contract. A player can negotiate a new deal with any MLS team after they become a free agent.

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