This year, MLS took the notable step toward more transparency when they started releasing how much General Allocation Money each team has. An updated list was published on Friday, revealing that the Seattle Sounders have $1,146,234 of unspent General Allocation Money.
That puts them basically smack dab in the middle of the league, with 15 teams having more and 14 teams having less.
While arguably representing a missed opportunity to make a big summer signing, having a leftover balance is not necessarily a bad thing, as all of this money can be rolled over into 2026. Combined with the net of $200,000 of 2026 GAM they’ll receive from various other trades and $200,000 they’ll get for participating in Concacaf Champions Cup, the Sounders will be starting the year with about $1.5M in extra allocation money.
Although the salary cap is scheduled to go up to $6.425m next year, with an additional $3.28m GAM and $2.125m in discretionary TAM available to each team, the rolled over money will help them pay for any bonuses or raises players earned from this year and should help keep them away from the kind of financial cliff that the LA Galaxy ran into this year. The Galaxy, interestingly enough, are one of eight teams who will be rolling over less than $200,000 of GAM from 2025.
