Orlando City Lands Superstar Griezmann in Blockbuster MLS Deal

Current Lions stars excited to play alongside the French World Cup winner, but roster moves loom to accommodate his massive contract.

Mar. 28, 2026 at 8:08pm

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Orlando City has signed French superstar Antoine Griezmann to a long-term Designated Player contract, bringing the 2018 World Cup winner to MLS. Current Orlando City stars like Marco Pašalić have expressed excitement to play alongside Griezmann, but the club will need to make roster moves to fit his high-priced contract under the league's salary cap rules.

Why it matters

Griezmann's arrival is a major coup for Orlando City and the broader MLS, signaling the league's growing ability to attract global superstars in their prime. However, the move also creates challenges as the club must navigate salary cap rules and potentially trade or loan out existing Designated Players to make room for the French striker.

The details

Griezmann, 35, signed a contract through the 2027–2028 season with an option for 2028–29. He was announced as Orlando City's newest Designated Player, meaning his compensation will exceed the league's maximum salary budget charge of $401,562.50. Orlando City already has three Designated Players on its roster, so the club will need to 'buy down' the salary of one of its current DPs using Targeted Allocation Money, trade the player, or loan them out to accommodate Griezmann's contract.

  • On March 28, 2026, Orlando City announced the signing of Antoine Griezmann.
  • Griezmann's contract with Orlando City will begin this summer.

The players

Antoine Griezmann

A 35-year-old French soccer player who has signed a long-term Designated Player contract with Orlando City. Griezmann is a 2018 World Cup winner and former star for Atlético Madrid.

Marco Pašalić

A 25-year-old Croatian soccer player who is a Designated Player for Orlando City. Pašalić is excited to play alongside Griezmann and is currently vying for a spot on Croatia's World Cup roster.

Martín Ojeda

An Argentine star midfielder who is a Designated Player for Orlando City, having signed a contract extension through the 2028–29 season.

Braian Ojeda

A Paraguayan midfielder who was recently acquired by Orlando City as a Designated Player, with a contract through the 2028–29 season.

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What they’re saying

“I am really happy. It's going to be a nice experience [playing with Griezmann]. I mean, I played with the greatest Croatian and European player, Luka Modrić, so it's going to be a nice period of my career to play with Griezmann, and I want to enjoy this.”

— Marco Pašalić, Orlando City Designated Player

What’s next

One of Orlando City's three current Designated Players will have their salary 'bought down' using Targeted Allocation Money, be traded, or loaned out to make room for Griezmann's contract on the roster.

The takeaway

Griezmann's signing is a major coup for Orlando City and MLS, but it also creates roster challenges as the club must navigate salary cap rules to accommodate the French superstar's high-priced contract.