5 players who definitely won’t be back in MLS for 2026 | OneFootball

MLS clubs start laying the groundwork for the 2026 season and the World Cup window that comes with it, we can expect to see a bunch of familiar faces missing from league rosters come next year - for good.

MLS rosters are already getting a big overhaul as teams decide which players to lock down long-term and which ones are saying goodbye - and the roster retirements below are especially significant.

Teams will be losing experienced player from their clubs, but they will open up roster and budget space that will have an important impact on how teams strategize for 2026.

5 players who kicked their final MLS ball in 2025

Sergio Busquets

The legendary Spanish midfielder announced in September that he will retire after the 2025 season. At age 37, the Inter Miami CF player will not be returning to MLS in 2026.

He came through the academy at Barcelona (La Masia) and played more than 700 first‑team games with the club - including a number of La Liga and Champions League titles - before joining Inter Miami in 2023.

Busquets pushed MLS with an elite level of experience and leadership. He would go on to win Leagues Cup 2023 and the 2024 Supporters' Shield with the Herons.

His announcement formally ended an era, an era that would make a huge difference in the league. With the formal public announcement, he won't return to MLS in 2026.

Jordi Alba

The former Barcelona star and Spain national also started playing for the MLS in 2023. And just like his forever teammate Busquets, he stated that he would hang up his cleats at the end of the 2025 season. In fact, he previously signed a contract extension that would have run beyond 2025, but later decided against continuing. He has made 93 Spanish national team caps (including a Euro 2012 title win), and has had a distinguished club career with Barcelona.

He shared that this has been a personal decision to step away because he believes he was "not going to be 100%” but wants to be honest about what he can do. His decision was announced a month ago, so he, too, will not be included in the MLS player pool in 2026.

Darlington Nagbe

At the age of 35, Darlington Nagbe will be retiring after the 2025 season with Columbus Crew SC, a decision made public by the club in October of 2025.

His 15 seasons in MLS has seen Nagbe play over 444 regular-state matches (top five all-time) and score 38 goals and 48 assists and has won the MLS Cup four times with three different clubs.

Having been known for his reliability on the ball, passing range and understated leadership, Nagbe's retirement will be the departure of another dependable midfield option in MLS. As his retirement is official, he will not return to the league in the 2026 season.

Brad Guzan

The veteran American goalkeeper is nearing the end of his career, and said he will retire following the 2025 MLS season with Atlanta United FC.

The American goalkeeper is winding down his career and will retire after the 2025 MLS season with Atlanta United FC.

After 21 years as a pro, he’s played over 500 games for clubs, in the English Premier League and 64 games for the US Men’s National Team. He won the MLS Cup in 2018 and the US Open Cup and Campeones Cup in 2019 with Atlanta.

Maxime Chanot

Maxime Chanot, the veteran center-back for LAFC, announced his retirement on August 27, 2025 after a head injury made it impossible for him to play at a pro level again.

Chanot had a long tenure in MLS. He joined NYCFC in 2016, won the MLS Cup in 2021 with NYFC and the Campeones Cup in 2022 and then moved to LAFC in 2024. He played 237 games in MLS and scored 10 goals as a reliable, experienced defender.

The league is saying goodbye to a generation that brought so much credibility and character to the MLS. By this time next year, Busquets, Alba, Nagbe, Buzan, and Chanot will all be part of MLS history.