U22 Initiative officially unveiled with 2021 roster rules Share this story Noah K. Murray-USA TODAY Sports Major League Soccer released its 2021 roster rules Tuesday, and a long-rumored initiative has finally come to pass. MLS announced the implementation of the “U22 Initiative” that will allow teams to increase their investment in dynamic, promising young players without breaking the bank, or their salary budgets. Starting this year, teams will now be able to sign up to three young players (age 22 and younger) to higher-value contracts at a reduced budget charge. This is in addition to the standard three Designated Players that teams are allowed to sign though there is a significant caveat in how the initiative will be applied.