of MLS is back this weekend, starting with a full slate headlined on Saturday LAFC And inter miami Meeting at the Coliseum in Los Angeles.
Those two teams in particular are becoming increasingly representative of what MLS is all about. Both are being led by international megastars, who are using league play in the US to prepare for this summer world cup Here. Lionel Messi Whereas last year he led his Miami team to the league title. son hyung-min Arrived in the summer and, after a sensational half season, is now hoping to dethrone Messi and Miami from that throne.
But next to that pair are a bunch of other top players from North America and abroad who may not be as well-known. argentina And south korea Stars but those who have played for top teams around the world have been — or will soon be — using MLS to launch into a bigger league.
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Of course, there are plenty of teams not participating in Saturday’s premiership that will be looking to prove that their rosters are as good or better than those of those title contenders.
Will Messi and Miami avoid a repeat of those accusations? Can the son lead his team to a trophy? Or will another contender emerge during this fierce campaign? Here’s what you might have missed over the winter, along with the stories that will define the 2026 season.
Can anyone stop Miami and Messi?
As Messi won the MLS Cup, the first domestic title in Miami’s short history, he also bid farewell to a pair of his longtime friends. sergio busquets And Jordi Albateammates barcelona Joe joined him across the Atlantic in MLS after announcing that this would be his final season. He was in high spirits, and already, Miami’s front office had a plan to turn him around and take a few steps forward.
sergio reguilonwho has experience Tottenham Hotspur And real MadridJoined as the Heron’s new left back. At the same time, david ayala was tempted by portland timbers Now to compete for the open midfield spot next to the world champion rodrigo de paul.
Apart from those shortcomings in the starting eleven, the title winners looked to strengthen things at the back, where they had been very inconsistent. miami signed dayne st claireMLS Goalkeeper of the Year, from minnesota unitedand hope to start Canada International immediately. michaela former houston dynamo Center back who spent last season palmeraz at its core brazilHas returned to MLS to strengthen Miami’s defense.
With one designated player spot still open, Miami made another great move by acquiring German Bertram From monterey. a forward who scored consistently Liga MX with RaidosHis addition will allow manager Javier Mascherano to use Luis Suarez as a super-sub as well as putting Messi back into his typical number 10 role rather than asking him to operate as a false 9.
The surprising rebuild gives Miami the best roster – on paper, certainly – heading into an MLS season in recent memory. And the club has reason to push for more trophies: They’re opening the gleaming new Miami Freedom Park near Miami Airport in early April.
Still, there’s a reason these games are played. Miami will not only bring out the best of everyone when defending its crown, but it also wants to win Concacaf Champions Cup For the first time in club history and earn a place in the next club world cup In 2029 after taking over the host team’s place in 2025.
Their opponent on Saturday, the Suns, are the top candidates to defeat LAFC, Miami. In addition to having a comfortable and willing son, the Black and Gold also rejected bids from Brazilian teams and reportedly from Miami itself. gabon international dennis bounga. The dynamic forward has scored 20 or more goals in each of the last three seasons for LAFC and has meshed well with Son despite early concerns about fit.
Under new manager Marc dos Santos, a Montreal native, LAFC has also become a magnet for Canadian international players. The most notable midfielder is stephen eustaquioWith whom the team signed only a short loan until the World Cup, but has the option of a full transfer. If he can repeat what he did for the Canadian national team, LAFC will surely want to lock down the versatile 29-year-old player on a long-term contract.
Center back Aaron LongThe much-awaited return from the Achilles injury could happen in the first half of the year. He was registered on the club’s roster for the CCC.
The question is how dos Santos will handle a star-studded team. While he has MLS managerial experience, he has been working as an assistant under Steve Cherundolo. East Bundesliga Pro chose to leave the team for personal reasons and move back to Germany with his family. Rather than bring in an unknown, LAFC chose dos Santos, but expectations are high and the pressure will be on if things don’t go well from the start.
Big stars continue to shine in South Florida and beyond Hollywood
vancouver whitecaps Plus, you’ll enjoy a full season of your summer signing Thomas Muller A full year of preparation in MLS. The Caps managed to make both the CCC and MLS finals last season, but fell short in both games. Most of the key players are back, although the offensive players Ali Ahmed (for English club Norwich City) and jayden nelson (For Austin FC) Moved on. They will try to recover from the recession after a strong 2025.
Familiar names continue to view MLS as a destination. most notably, james rodriguez Minnesota United joins a team in transition following the departure of manager Eric Ramsey West Bromwich Albion of efl championship. The Colombian giants will be hoping that a set-piece happy team is the perfect place for him to prepare for the World Cup.
timo werner Won’t be back in Germany picture, but will at least play for it san jose earthquake After a turbulent final period RB leipzig And on loan to Tottenham Hotspur. Quakes lost winger Christian Espinoza Nashville needs Werner’s help in taking on more attacking responsibilities in free agency.
A familiar face is back in MLS austin fc rushed to bring Facundo Torres Back in the league. uruguay went from winger orlando city for Palmeiras, but signed a long-term deal with Varde and Black this winter as a designated player.
Even teams without recent success are trying to become stronger at the international level. DC United Put signature on romania Ahead Louis MunteanuWhich will serve to shock DC’s attack and hopefully propel Romania into the World Cup playoffs and tournament this summer.
The intra-league market is also continuously growing
It’s not just players coming from abroad that are making MLS a more competitive league. The relaxation of rules on using cash to sign players from other clubs has seen more intra-league moves than ever before in MLS’s three-decade history. Most of the names aren’t as famous as James or Werner, but they are players whose new clubs hope they will provide consistent production.
DC United praised tai baribo From philadelphia union Last season he scored 18 goals. That’s just a dozen fewer than DC United scored as a team last season.
LA Galaxy Tried to strengthen his attack after another injury ricky puig and brought in joao claus From st louis city. And when they moved midfielder Ayala to Miami for cash, the Portland Timbers counterattacked and acquired cole bassett From colorado rapids To change that. A pair of American youth international players also switched teams Brooklyn Reigns headed towards New England Revolution and from Houston Reed Baker-Whiting join in Nashville SC From seattle sounders.
It’s a way for teams to acquire players who have proven themselves in MLS, but it also frees up players who may be stuck trailing others to play at one club and earn minutes elsewhere.
World Cup, international responsibilities will test managers in new ways
MLS will take a break from almost the entire World Cup, releasing players to their international teams in late May and resuming play the weekend before the tournament finals in July. Many MLS stadiums are in use for the sport’s biggest tournaments, some as match venues such as Atlanta, Seattle, Vancouver and New England and many others as training venues.
In addition, dozens of players will take part, including Messi and De Paul, who feature for defending champions Argentina, to a trio of players representing the tournament’s underdogs. haiti. MLS managers will want to work with those players to ensure they arrive in optimal conditions over the summer. Then, they will hope that whatever the fate of those players on the biggest stage of their lives, they will be able to turn around and focus on the final stretch of the season. league cup The tournament that comes right after.
Furthermore, managers will be keen to ensure that their players who are not taking part in the World Cup – possibly the vast majority of most teams – are still in good shape ahead of the league’s restart.
Whether it’s figuring out how to beat one of the darkest teams in memory, planning the best way to prepare players to chase one trophy or another, or trying to get into the favorites category with good results, it’s going to be a fascinating season that requires a lot of effort from managers and the players they lead.
