(Photo credit: Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images)

Inter Miami's investment in Lionel Messi continues to pay dividends.

In December, the Argentine superstar helped deliver the club its first MLS Cup. With the 2026 season less than two weeks away, Messi has helped deliver the Herons another title.

Most valuable franchise in MLS.

According to a report in Sportico on Tuesday, Miami is valued at $1.45 billion, an increase of 22% from last year and $50 million ahead of the Los Angeles FC -- marking the first time in Sportico's five years of doing MLS valuations that LAFC are not No. 1.

Though second, LAFC still jumped 9% in year-over-year valuation to $1.4 billion. The Black and Gold employ arguably the league's second-most popular international superstar, South Korea's Son Heung-Min. Messi and Son are by far the two highest-paid players in MLS.

While that sounds good news for Miami and Los Angeles, the league-wide economics could be a bit of a red flag. The bottom 12 teams in valuation saw their value go up just 2% on average from 2025. Three clubs -- the San Jose Earthquakes, Vancouver Whitecaps and CF Montreal -- fell in value, per the report.

The Whitecaps reached the MLS Cup final last year behind German legend Thomas Muller.

Sportico valued all clubs -- including real estate and business related to soccer owned by club owners, such as an NWSL franchise -- at a total of $23 billion.

San Diego FC, the league's newest club entering their second season of existence, are valued at $765 million, 10th in MLS.

The MLS season kicks off Feb. 21 with the marquee game being the strategic choice of Miami at LAFC. The game was moved to the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum to accommodate more fans for the highly in-demand event.

--Field Level Media