After a disappointing World Cup exit, we’ve taken a look at the top five highest earning USMNT players at this year’s tournament and their NBA and NFL counterparts.
The NBA offers the highest average player wages in the US, averaging over $10 million annually due to small rosters and massive media revenue.
Major League Baseball follows with lucrative, fully guaranteed deals, while the NFL features staggering superstar payouts but lower average salaries across its massive 53-man squads.
However, Soccer in the US is a massive anomaly. The average Major League Soccer (MLS) salary is around $688,000, significantly lower than the multimillion-dollar averages of the NBA, MLB, or NFL.
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It doesn’t just stop at the MLS though, as players like Christian Pulisic have moved into Europe where soccer is much more prevalent, which brings about even more earnings.
For the 2026 World Cup squad named by Mauricio Pochettino, the 26-man roster features 17 players playing their club football outside the United States and 9 players playing inside the country.
Here’s what their earnings look like.
The highest earning U.S players at the 2026 World Cup
According to Sportico, Christian Pulisic dominates the USMNT earnings list at $27.5 million, heavily fueled by a $20 million endorsement empire.
Weston McKennie follows in second place at $15 million total. Tim Weah, Chris Richards, and Tyler Adams round out the top five, primarily backed by their European club salaries.
| Player | On-Field Income | Off-Field Income | Total Annual Earnings |
| Christian Pulisic | $7.5 Million | $20.0 Million | $27.5 Million |
| Weston McKennie | $7.0 Million | $8.0 Million | $15.0 Million |
| Tim Weah | $6.0 Million | $3.5 Million | $9.5 Million |
| Chris Richards | $5.0 Million | $2.5 Million | $7.5 Million |
| Tyler Adams | $5.5 Million | $1.5 Million | $7.0 Million |
| Sergiño Dest | $6.0 Million | Minor / Commercials | $6.0+ Million |
How Christian Pulisic’s earnings compare to Travis Kelce and Jalen Brunson
Travis Kelce remains one of the best NFL tight ends and a phenomenon with the Kansas City Chiefs, while Jalen Brunson stands as the face of the NBA champions, the New York Knicks.
Christian Pulisic’s $27.5 million valuation sits behind both superstars. While Pulisic heavily relies on his $20 million endorsement portfolio to mask a lower soccer salary, Jalen Brunson out-earns him with a $25 million base contract that heavily drives Madison Square Garden’s financial impact, while Travis Kelce’s soaring $30 million endorsement empire and $18.2 million Chiefs deal completely eclipse him.
| Athlete | Sport / Team | On-Field Salary | Off-Field Income | Total Annual Earnings |
| Travis Kelce | NFL / Kansas City Chiefs | $18.2 Million | $30.0 Million | $48.2 Million |
| Jalen Brunson | NBA / New York Knicks | $34.9 Million | $11.0 Million | $45.9 Million |
| Christian Pulisic | Soccer / AC Milan (USMNT) | $7.5 Million | $20.0 Million | $27.5 Million |
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