Mark your calendars folks, it will be an interesting offseason.
Thanks to the 2022 World Cup, the Major League Soccer offseason comes super early and before Christmas!
MLS announced Thursday the full calendar of offseason roster-building events, highlighted by the MLS Expansion Draft on November 11 and the 2023 MLS SuperDraft on December 21.
As the 2023 expansion club St. Louis CITY SC prepares to begin MLS play next season, the team will have the opportunity to select up to five current MLS players to help shape the core of their inaugural roster during the MLS Expansion Draft. The club also holds the first overall selection in the 2023 MLS SuperDraft.
Expansion Draft
The following five teams that had players selected by Charlotte FC during the 2021 MLS Expansion Draft are exempt from the 2022 MLS Expansion Draft: Austin FC, Atlanta United FC, D.C. United, LAFC, New York City FC.
The other 23 returning MLS clubs that competed during the 2022 season can protect 12 players from their Senior and Supplemental rosters.
Generation adidas players who have not been graduated and Homegrown Players (players 25 years old and under in the year in which the Expansion Draft takes place) on a club’s Roster at the end of the 2022 MLS Season are automatically protected. Clubs do not have to use a protected slot on them.
Designated Players and other discretionary players are NOT automatically protected (i.e., clubs must choose whether to protect such players and if such player is not protected, he will be available for selection in the Expansion Draft).
Clubs with four or more international players must protect at least three international players, excluding any automatically protected players. If a Club has only three international players, it must protect two. If a Club has only two international players, it must protect one. A club with only one international player is not required to protect that player.
Free Agency Rules
11 days after the 2022 MLS Cup, teams can begin engaging with players via the league’s Free Agency process in preparation for the 2023 season. Eligible players will be at least twenty-four (24) years old in the year in which the immediately preceding League Season concluded and have at least five (5) MLS Service Years. This allows players the freedom to negotiate a new contract with any MLS club, including their previous team, subject to certain restrictions.
Re-Entry Draft
Players who are eligible to be selected in the Re-Entry Draft include Players who are at least 22 years old and have a minimum of one year of MLS service who are out of contract and did not receive a Bona Fide Offer or whose contract options were not exercised by their clubs.