Lionel Messi’s MLS continues to rise in the international rankings, but still lags behind Cristiano Ronaldo’s SPL

Major League Football has developed into the most successful first division football project in the United States, not only because of its longevity, but also because of the worldwide attention attracted by stars like Lionel Messi play a central role in its growth. As the MLS continues to rise in the international league rankings, it lags well behind Christiano Ronaldo‘s Saudi Pro League.

The International Federation for Football History and Statistics (IFFHS), an organization dedicated to collecting historical football data, has gained credibility over the years thanks to its annual league rankings. The federation recently completed its… 2025 edition of the best leagues in the worldand MLS recorded a notable jump.

In a ranking led by the Premier League, which retook top spot from Serie A, MLS rose nine positions compared to the 2024 edition. The competition (now home to players like MessiSon Heung-min and Thomas Müller) is currently 40th overall, up from 49th last year, with 426.75 points. The MLS is located between Morocco’s top division (39th, 432.75 points) and Hungary’s first division (41st, 418.5 points).

But compared to the league where Cristiano Ronaldo competes, MLS still faces a significant gap. The Saudi Pro League ranks 13th in the IFFHS rankings, up from 21st last years, and applies now 868.75 pointsputting it 27 places and more than 400 points ahead of the MLS.

Where does the MLS stand within CONCACAF?

In addition to the arrival of European stars, the Saudi Pro League’s decades-long stability has also helped it maintain its high position in the global rankings. Regionally speaking, however The MLS still has ground to gain within CONCACAF.

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Despite a drop of four places compared to last year, Mexico’s Liga MX remains the highest-ranked league in the confederation, ranking 22nd with 646.5 points. Costa Rica’s Primera División follows in 28th place with 521.5 points, putting MLS in third place among CONCACAF leagues.

IFFHS’ Top 10 Competitions in 2025

1. Premier League (England/UEFA): 2359 points.
2. The League (Spain/UEFA): 2073 points.
3. Brazilian (Brazil/CONMEBOL): 1999 points.
4. Series A (Italy/UEFA): 1972 points.
5. Bundesliga (Germany/UEFA): 1880 points.
6. League 1 (France/UEFA: 1502 points.
7. First League (Portugal/UEFA): 1145 points.
8. Professional football league (Argentina/CONMEBOL): 1089 points.
9. Premier League (Netherlands/UEFA): 1067 points.
10. First category A (Colombia/CONMEBOL): 1025.5 points.