R16 million a year: why MLS is luring South African footballers
Mbekezeli Mbokazi has recently completed the move from Orlando Pirates to Major League Soccer side Chicago Fire.
Image: Chicago Fire on Facebook
The number of South Africans playing in America’s Major League Soccer continues to grow, with the league increasingly emerging as a viable destination for local talent.
Last year, Philadelphia Union’s Olwethu Makhanya and Bongokuhle Hlongwane of Minnesota United flew the South African flag with distinction. Makhanya, playing in a side coached by former Kaizer Chiefs and Bafana Bafana defender Bradley Carnell, impressed as his club won the Supporters’ Shield after finishing top of the overall league standings.
For the upcoming season, that number will double following the transfers of Mbekezeli Mbokazi and Puso Dithejane to Chicago Fire from Orlando Pirates and TS Galaxy respectively.
Chicago head coach Greg Berhalter explained that signing two South Africans was partly aimed at helping the players settle more comfortably in a new country. Mbokazi arrived in Chicago around two weeks ago, while Dithejane was spotted at OR Tambo International earlier this week ahead of his move.
A switch to MLS – rated as the 10th best league in the world – also represents a significant financial step up for South African players.
Hlongwane, who has been with Minnesota since 2022, earns $19,231 a week (R300,000), according to Capology, amounting to $1 million (R16 million) per year. The 25-year-old former Maritzburg United forward is among the club’s top earners. Makhanya, a former Stellenbosch FC defender, earns $250,000 annually (R4 million), which equates to $4,808 (R76,000) a week.
Mbokazi and Dithejane are yet to be listed on Capology, but due to their ages they occupy two of Chicago Fire’s U-22 Initiative roster spots. As a result, 20-year-old Mbokazi is guaranteed a minimum of $150,000 per year (R2.3 million), while 21-year-old Dithejane will earn at least $200,000 (R3.1 million). Those figures represent minimum salaries under MLS regulations and do not necessarily reflect what the players will ultimately earn.
Beyond the individual moves and salary figures, the growing South African presence in MLS highlights a league that is increasingly viewed as a genuine pathway rather than a stepping stone. With strong competition, financial security and a clear development structure, MLS is fast becoming an attractive option for local players looking to test themselves abroad.
If the current trajectory continues, Mbokazi and Dithejane are unlikely to be the last South Africans to make the jump across the Atlantic.
IOL Sport