How much do Charlotte FC players make? MLS Players Association releases league salaries
The Major League Soccer Players Association released its 2022 Salary Guide on Monday — and there’s plenty for Charlotte FC fans to digest.
Here are some notable CLTFC highlights from the data.
Karol Swiderski highest-paid Charlotte FC player
Karol Swiderski, unsurprisingly, is the highest-paid player on Charlotte FC’s inaugural-season roster. He cashed in a base salary of $2.2 million in 2022, the 25th-highest in the league.
Swiderski was acquired as the club’s first Designated Player when he joined the roster in January. His current contract with the club — which might have to be adjusted if interest in Swiderski swells after he plays for Poland in the World Cup in November — lasts through the 2025 season with an option for 2026.
Swiderski was the club’s leading scorer in 2022 with 10 goals.
Kamil Jozwiak second-highest paid player
Kamil Jozwiak was another Designated Player on Charlotte FC’s roster in 2022.
The Polish forward-midfielder had a base salary of $900,000, second-most on the team behind Swiderski.
Jozwiak signed with the Queen City club in March after a stint with English Championship side Derby County. His contract runs through 2025 with an option for 2026.
Jozwiak blossomed late in 2022, facilitating a creativity at the midfield position that Charlotte FC sometimes lacked. In the team’s most impressive win over the Philadelphia Union earlier this month — a 4-0 win over one of the best teams in MLS as Charlotte FC fought for its playoff life — Jozwiak notched two assists.
Jozwiak started 13 games and played in 19. He finished the year with three assists and four shots-on-target in 18 total scoring attempts.
Charlotte FC’s summer signings
The MLS Salary Guide that dropped Monday contains salary information for all MLS players under contract as of Sept. 2, which means that the list included Charlotte FC’s summer signings of Adilson Malanda, Nathan Byrne and Nuno Santos.
The three were integral in Charlotte FC’s resurgence near the end of the season. Malanda and Byrne, specifically, turned into regular starters and strengthened a defense when it needed strength most — particularly after the team’s reliable sweeper, Guzman Corujo, tore his ACL in August.
Byrne’s base salary was $560,000 in 2022. Santos’s was $500,000, and Malanda’s was $250,000. Byrne and Santos are committed to the club through 2024, and Malanda is signed through 2025.
Charlotte FC 2023 roster announcement
Charlotte announced its end-of-season roster decisions on Monday, pulling its 2023 roster into focus.
Contract options for McKinze Gaines (F), Derrick Jones (M), George Marks (GK) and Daniel Rios (F) were all picked up, while veteran defenders Harrison Afful and team captain Christian Fuchs had options declined.
The club still remains in talks regarding the futures of Fuchs and Afful, per a release, but this news is notable nonetheless — particularly considering Fuchs’ league-wide popularity. A final decision on their status with the team for next year should arrive in the coming weeks, a team spokesperson said.
Alan Franco’s loan from Atletico Mineiro will expire at the end of the season. Charlotte FC has until the league’s Nov. 14 deadline to exercise or decline the options for Quinn McNeill and Koa Santos, who are each on loan to the USL League One Charlotte Independence.
Here’s Charlotte FC’s current roster for 2023 season:
Goalkeepers (4): Kristijan Kahlina, George Marks, Pablo Sisniega, Adrian Zendejas.
Defenders (8): Adam Armour, Nathan Byrne, Guzman Corujo, Jaylin Lindsey, Adilson Malanda, Joseph Mora, Jan Sobocinski, Anton Walkes.
Midfielders (6): Jordy Alcivar, Ben Bender, Brandt Bronico, Chris Hegardt, Derrick Jones, Nuno Santos.
Forwards (8): McKinze Gaines, Kamil Jozwiak, Vinicius Mello, Yordy Reyna, Daniel Rios, Andre Shinyashiki, Karol Swiderski, Kerwin Vargas.
It’s worth noting: Charlotte FC has the flexibility to open a Designated Player spot on its roster, as The Observer has previously reported. Interim head coach Christian Lattanzio indicated that the club will be aggressive in its attempts to upgrade its lineup this offseason.
“Obviously, I cannot name names, but I assure you that there are many, many players — and not just from within this league, but also from Europe — who have made inquiries to try to come,” Lattanzio said in a news conference earlier this month. The coach added later, “I think the front office has been very clear in explaining how they want to improve. I think there will be more resources available. The organization and (team owner Dave Tepper) are very supportive.”
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Salaries of final 2022 Charlotte FC roster
Here’s how much each Charlotte FC player makes, per the 2022 Salary Guide. Check the MLSPA website for a full listing of salaries of players across the league.
Charlotte FC spent $11.7 million in 2022. That’s 22nd in the 28-club league. The league’s top spender was Toronto FC with $32.2 million. Atlanta United, another recent expansion team and a budding CLTFC rival, spent $22.4 million.
| Name | Position | Base Salary | Guaranteed Compensation |
| Adrian Zendejas* | GK | $84,000.00 | $91,986.00 |
| Anton Walkes* | D | $325,000.00 | $353,594.00 |
| Kerwin Vargas* | F | $350,000.00 | $392,167.00 |
| Jan Sobocinski* | D | $325,000.00 | $351,250.00 |
| Pablo Sisniega* | GK | $180,000.00 | $200,667.00 |
| Andre Shinyashiki* | F | $140,000.00 | $150,000.00 |
| Nuno Santos* | M | $500,000.00 | $561,387.00 |
| Koa Santos | D | $65,500.00 | $65,500.00 |
| Brian Romero | M | $65,500.00 | $76,333.00 |
| Daniel Rios* | F | $230,000.00 | $251,500.00 |
| Yordy Reyna* | M-F | $797,500.00 | $797,500.00 |
| Joseph Mora* | D | $200,000.00 | $200,000.00 |
| Vinicius Mello* | F | $300,000.00 | $334,900.00 |
| Quinn McNeill | M | $65,500.00 | $65,500.00 |
| George Marks* | GK | $65,500.00 | $65,500.00 |
| Adilson Malanda* | D | $250,000.00 | $278,083.00 |
| Jaylin Lindsey* | D | $200,000.00 | $235,625.00 |
| Kristijan Kahlina* | GK | $425,000.00 | $451,875.00 |
| Derrick Jones* | M | $185,000.00 | $207,969.00 |
| Kamil Jóźwiak* | F-M | $900,000.00 | $1,017,000.00 |
| Christopher Hegardt* | M | $65,500.00 | $73,012.00 |
| McKinze Gaines* | F | $84,000.00 | $86,750.00 |
| Christian Fuchs | D | $375,000.00 | $375,000.00 |
| Alan Steven Franco | M | $480,000.00 | $538,300.00 |
| Guzman Corujo* | D | $600,000.00 | $633,500.00 |
| Nathan Byrne* | D | $560,000.00 | $607,833.00 |
| Brandt Bronico* | M | $125,000.00 | $134,330.00 |
| Ben Bender* | M | $65,500.00 | $83,000.00 |
| Karol Świderski* | F | $2,200,000.00 | $2,258,000.00 |
| Adam Armour* | D | $65,500.00 | $65,500.00 |
| Jordy Alcivar* | M | $235,000.00 | $325,600.00 |
| Harrison Afful | D | $300,000.00 | $332,500.00 |
Note: The “Guaranteed Compensation” number includes a player’s base salary plus all signing and guaranteed bonuses annualized over the term of the player’s contract. It also includes marketing bonus and any agent fees — both annualized over the term of the contract — but does not include potential performance bonuses.
*An asterisk indicates that this player is currently on the Club’s roster for the 2023 season.
This story was originally published October 18, 2022 at 5:00 AM.
