Portland Timbers 2026 Season Preview

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Major League Soccer

·16 February 2026

Portland Timbers 2026 Season Preview

By MLSsoccer staff

2026 Schedule

First game/Home opener: Feb. 21 - 10:30 pm ET vs. Columbus Crew
Full schedule
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Team Snapshot

Portland have made the Audi MLS Cup Playoffs in each of their first two years under head coach Phil Neville, but endured early exits both times. Entering year three, they're looking to leap into contender status.

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Offseason trade arrival Cole Bassett will be central to those efforts alongside Designated Players David Da Costa and Kristoffer Velde. Da Costa will miss the season start as he recovers from shoulder surgery.

Looking towards the 2026 FIFA World Cup, defenders Finn Surman (New Zealand) and Kamal Miller (Canada) hope to feature at this summer's tournament.

Key Signings

Brandon Bye: The defender signed in free agency after making 214 career appearances across eight seasons with the New England Revolution.
Cole Bassett: The dynamic midfielder was acquired from the Colorado Rapids after logging 31g/21a in 172 matches (all competitions) with his hometown club.
Alex Bonetig: The Australian center back was acquired from A-League side Western Sydney Wanderers.

Full roster

Ready to give it his all for The Rose City 🌹💚
– Tuesday, 3 February 2026

Key Departures

David Ayala: The Argentine midfielder was traded to 2025 MLS Cup champions Inter Miami CF for up to $2.15 million.
Maxime Crépeau: The Canadian international goalkeeper has joined Orlando City in free agency.
Cristhian Paredes: The midfielder signed with Cerro Porteño in his native Paraguay after eight seasons with Portland.
Jonathan Rodríguez: After a long-term knee injury derailed Rodríguez's 2025 season, his exit opened a Designated Player roster slot.
Dario Župarić: The Croatian center back made 182 appearances for Portland across six seasons.