10 storylines that have defined the 2026 MLS season so far | OneFootball

By J. Sam Jones

We’re basically 15 percent of the way through the 2026 MLS season.

It’s early days, but several storylines are already standing out.

Sam Surridge: MLS Player of the Month | February & March 2026

Nashville SC

Nashville are as good as advertised (and maybe a little more)

When Nashville won the race to sign Designated Player winger Cristian Espinoza in free agency, everyone assumed they’d take a step forward. Well, congrats to everyone. You got it right. Maybe more than you even realized. 

Last year’s Nashville side finished sixth in the East with a very respectable tally of 54 points. This year’s Nashville side has 13 points through five matches and looks like one of the few teams capable of challenging for a Supporters’ Shield. DP attackers Sam Surridge and Hany Mukhtar have been their usual productive selves, while Espinoza has added another problem for defenses to worry about. He’s picked up 2g/3a in four starts so far. And Nashville have scored 13 times through five matches, tied for the best mark in the East.

Oh, and they went ahead and knocked Inter Miami out of the Concacaf Champions Cup, too. They haven’t just looked like one of the league’s better teams; they look like one of the best teams on the continent.

Los Angeles Football Club

LAFC are never going to allow a goal again (probably)

Meanwhile, out west, LAFC are the only side to match Nashville’s point total so far. Strangely enough, their undefeated run hasn’t been powered by Son Heung-Min and Denis Bouanga bulldozing their way to goals and points. Instead, LAFC are putting in an all-time great defensive performance. In five matches, they’ve allowed as many goals as you and I have. They’re on a record-setting run of clean sheets to start the year.

Don’t be worried about the attack, though. Even when Son and Bouanga aren’t overwhelming folks, the Black & Gold have increasingly been able to turn to rising star David Martínez. They have the firepower to bombard teams when needed. They just haven’t needed to yet.

Philadelphia Union

When are Philadelphia going to start winning?

The only team without a single point in MLS this year happens to be the same team that won the Supporters’ Shield last year.

It’s worth noting the Philadelphia Union underwent a ton of changes this offseason. Losing their primary chance creator, fullback Kai Wagner, might have been enough to derail things alone. But they also lost center back Jakob Glesnes and forwards Mikael Uhre and Tai Baribo. Midfielder Quinn Sullivan’s long-term injury hasn’t helped matters either. 

It’s been a rude awakening for a club that’s earned more points than any other Eastern Conference team this decade. Even when there have been changes, things have typically been plug-and-play for whoever arrived next. For the first time in a long time, that’s not the case.

At this point, the Audi MLS Cup Playoffs are already starting to feel like a long shot.

Inter Miami CF

Inter Miami are out of CCC. Now what?

Welp. Inter Miami had one more trophy to win in the Lionel Messi era. Fresh off their MLS Cup 2025 triumph, they came into the year with a refreshed roster of stars that seemed more than capable of doing what previous Miami teams haven’t. They’d never made it to the Concacaf Champions Cup final… and they won’t be there this year either. After falling in last year’s semifinals, they didn’t even make it past the Round of 16 this time. Considering the names on their roster, it’s fair to call that a failure.

Let’s try to take advice from the most annoying people on LinkedIn, though, and attempt to see this as an opportunity. No CCC means a reduced workload. The Herons will be able to put nearly all of their energy into piling up points and earning another Supporters’ Shield… or at least just figuring out how to make all of their new pieces work together. They’re averaging 2.00 points per game through five games, but they’ve looked far from cohesive.

Expectations are, and will stay, sky-high for this team. A +1 goal differential and an early CCC exit are below the standard they’ve set.

San Diego FC

San Diego don’t care about a sophomore slump (or missing Chucky)

There’s always reason to worry about year two for expansion sides that were great in year one. It can be tough to capture the same energy and momentum that comes from the highs of an inaugural season. Some teams build on what they started (LAFC, Atlanta United) and other teams don't (St. Louis CITY). 

San Diego are clearly trending towards the LAFC side of the divide. Even with DP attacker Chucky Lozano cast off from the team, they haven’t missed a beat. They’re still playing the same gorgeous soccer and they’re still pummeling teams into a fine powder.

They’re undefeated through five MLS games, and only one team, Vancouver Whitecaps FC, has scored more goals. They even managed to take down Pumas UNAM and give fellow LIGA MX side Toluca a genuine scare in their first CCC runout. They’re here to stay.

San Jose Earthquakes

San Jose are taking a leap forward

Only one team has allowed fewer goals than the Quakes in 2026. And only two teams have more points. San Jose are off to a stellar start in Bruce Arena’s second year in charge. 

They’re athletic, they press effectively and new DP Timo Werner adds an extra element of danger in attack. He’ll determine where their ceiling is this year. 

While Werner’s getting settled in MLS, keep your eye on striker Preston Judd. He’s got two goals in five starts so far and finds chances consistently. He’s quickly becoming one of those guys you’ll know just by people talking about how underrated he is. 

Anyway, the Quakes have a huge match on Saturday against San Diego and then they face LAFC a couple of weeks later. We should have a decent idea of exactly how good this team is by the end of April.

Real Salt Lake

Real Salt Lake are playing the kids (and getting healthier)

RSL have been practically forced into playing the kids at the start of the year. They’ve been dealing with injuries to multiple starters and are just now beginning to get stars like Diego Luna back in the lineup. Those absences might have been a blessing in disguise, though. Turns out, the kids are pretty dang good. 

Whether it’s 18-year-old Aiden Hezarkhani scoring twice through five starts or 19-year-old Zavier Gozo becoming a clear candidate to be the next major outgoing transfer from MLS, Pablo Mastroeni & Co. have found a little magic from their supplemental roster spots this year. 

On top of that, it sure seems like the senior roster guys have some juice, too. New DP Morgan Guilavogui looks to be a match-changing player, and new Uruguayan international wingback Juan Manuel Sanabria has been very effective.

With Luna returning and RSL already on 10 points through five games, it’s hard to be anything but optimistic about this team.

FC Dallas

Petar Musa leads the charge in Dallas' playoff push

Petar Musa has quietly been one of the best DP signings of the last few years. Only three players have scored more often than FC Dallas’ No. 9 since he arrived in 2024: Lionel Messi, Denis Bouanga and Sam Surridge.

He’s keeping very good company again this year. Musa has six goals in four starts so far. Only Surridge has scored more. 

He’s playing so well that he received a call-up to the Croatian national team this window. He played 45 minutes in their win over Colombia on Thursday. There’s a real chance he plays his way onto their FIFA World Cup roster. 

Regardless, Dallas are going to lean on him to continue putting up numbers. Musa and fellow striker Logan Farrington have scored nine of Dallas’ 10 goals this year. That pace likely won’t keep up, but thanks to those two, Dallas are dangerous and good enough to keep up with the best sides in the league.

Toronto FC

Toronto's rebuild continues

This one is a bit more speculative, but, hey, when a player arrives for a potential league-record transfer fee to a team clawing its way out of the wilderness, you’ve got to talk about it.

Toronto reportedly spent up to $27 million to bring Josh Sargent in from Norwich City. Now, they just have to wait and see if he’s the final piece they needed to return to the highs of the late 2010s.

They’ve done a ton of heavy lifting to hit reset on their roster. Sargent signing for one of the league’s highest-spending teams shows that they’re ready to be a contender again. Now we have to wait and see if they got the rebuild right.

Orlando City

Orlando City make a major signing and a major change

After six years of guiding Orlando City from a playoffless bottom dweller to a consistent postseason participant, Oscar Pareja is no longer in charge. The Lions parted ways with one of the league’s most consistent managers after consistent results turned into consistent uncertainty. 

The Lions have just one win in five matches. The other four results were losses... and not particularly close ones. Their -12 goal differential is by far the worst mark in the league. It was time to make a change. 

There’s good news at least. Whoever takes over as head coach will join at the same time as a signing that can only be rivaled by Kaká in the club’s history. Antoine Griezmann will arrive from LaLiga giants Atlético Madrid this summer after spending a decade becoming the club’s all-time leading scorer. The 2018 World Cup winner with France should provide a notable boost to Orlando’s attack. The question now is if he’ll arrive in time to save the season…  or if this summer might be too late.