10 2026 MLS Storylines We’re Hyped For | OneFootball

The new Major League Soccer season kicks off tomorrow. With a World Cup in the middle of the calendar, a schedule change on the horizon, and Lionel Messi possibly winning more silverware, there is plenty to look forward to in 2026.

Major League Soccer is back, and 2026 is a big year for the league. The 31st season will revolve around Inter Miami opening their magnificent new stadium, Miami Freedom Park, in April, while Charlotte FC will host the 2026 MLS All-Star Game.

With rumors of a possible inclusion of Inter Miami in the 2027 Copa Libertadores and a real chance that an MLS side could win the CONCACAF Champions Cup, 2026 could be a landmark year for MLS and soccer as a whole. That is only amplified by the 2026 World Cup being held in the United States, Mexico, and Canada.

Here are 10 stories to keep an eye on as MLS enters its new season.

All Roads Lead to James

James Rodríguez will play for… Minnesota United. An odd choice for the 34-year-old Colombian, who has found living in Qatar, Greece, Brazil, and Mexico troublesome, to say the least. Rodríguez is a quality footballer when he wants to be, but since 2021 he has seemingly used clubs as a payday and a way to stay in form for the Colombian national team, where he truly shines.

On a very favorable contract for both the player and club, Minnesota United is taking a gamble on a player who, even if things go right, could still be gone by season’s end. Which James will show up in MLS? Will he pull a Messi throughout the season, picking and choosing when to play? Time will tell if Rodríguez was a bomb or a revitalizing signing, but at the very least, it should be fun to watch.

Enter Michael Bradley

After reaching the MLS Cup Final in 2024, the New York Red Bulls missed the playoffs by 10 points last season and, on paper, remain an “anything can happen” team. Michael Bradley, former United States men’s national team star and son of longtime coach Bob Bradley, is stepping into his first true coaching role with a team that may be laying the foundations for bigger things.

The younger Bradley played in the Netherlands, Germany, England, and Italy at the highest levels, before earning a payday in MLS. Now, as a coach, he has a squad filled with young talent to work with. Juan José Mina, Nehuén Benedetti, Justin Che, Cade Cowell, and Julian Hall are all players to watch as they evolve under a coach who will be just as demanding as he was as a player. Bradley’s success would mean a great deal for a league desperate to find the next big American coach.

Tata Martino, Part II

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Can the sequel be as good as the first? Tata Martino will soon find out as he gives MLS a third chance and Atlanta United a second. Martino has inherited a team that has lost its identity. Once seemingly on the road to a dynasty, the club won just five games in 2025, and its historically resolute fanbase has started to waver.

Martino will need to rediscover the best version of Miguel Almirón. As usual, the Argentine manager has called in his fellow countrymen to help get Atlanta United back on track. Lucas Hoyos will likely replace Brad Guzan in goal, while Tomás Jacob and Elías Báez bolster the back line.

The club could still offload one of its two remaining DPs to make room for a Martino signing, but in the meantime Atlanta United is hoping Martino can work his MLS magic for a third time.

A Cloud Over the Vancouver Whitecaps

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Last season’s MLS Cup runners-up are still in Vancouver, at least for now. The club secured a one-year lease extension at BC Place for the 2026 season, allowing the Whitecaps to continue playing in the city despite ongoing and very public financial disputes with stadium operator PavCo.

The short-term deal includes the return of roughly CAD $1.5 million per year in profits to the club, but it does little to address deeper issues, including a reported CAD $40 million revenue gap compared to the MLS average. The Whitecaps have been up for sale since late 2024, and despite interest from nearly 40 potential investor groups, no buyer has emerged. It’s a situation MLS has openly described as “untenable.”

A Song of Overpricing, a World Cup, and the USMNT

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What, if any, effect will the World Cup have on MLS during and after the tournament? At the moment, we haven’t seen much yet. FIFA has effectively priced the average MLS fan out of attending matches, and the league will pause play during the competition, resuming long after the fate of the USMNT has been decided.

Does a strong run by the USMNT help the league? Will soccer finally begin its long-promised rise in America? Stay tuned to find out.

The Galaxy on the Mend

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After a horrific 2025 season that saw the team gutted and the loss of Riqui Puig for at least until the end of this year, the LA Galaxy will need Gabriel Pec, Joseph Paintsil, and new signing João Klauss to have the seasons of their lives.

On paper, the Galaxy should be competitive in MLS, but fans remain wary of head coach Greg Vanney, who many supporters have long wanted to move on from.

Can Timo Werner Save the Quakes?

The arrival of Timo Werner in MLS did not shock many, but his destination did. San Jose was an unexpected landing spot. Werner is a massive upgrade for a team that, on paper last season, appeared to have the pieces to go far yet still missed the playoffs.

Bruce Arena lost Cristian Espinoza to front-office mismanagement and moved on from past-their-prime MLS veterans Josef Martínez and Chicho Arango.

Even so, Werner is a big shark in a dried-up pond. The Quakes need improvement across the board, because as things stand, the German international won’t be able to revitalize the franchise on his own.

Can LAFC Bounce Back?

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For most franchises, a third-place finish and conference semifinal appearance would be a pretty good season. But LAFC isn’t most franchises. The ultra-ambitious team has its eyes set on more trophies in 2026, and it certainly has the talent to do so.

The spine of last season’s squad is intact: Hugo Lloris, Son Heung-min, Mark Delgado, Timothy Tillman, and Ryan Hollingshead. Big question marks still loom over the future of Denis Bouanga, but there is still plenty of talent on this roster. 

Additionally, the club made noise with the loan signing of Stephen Eustáquio and the acquisition of talented winger Jacob Shaffelburg. Being among the league’s best should be the bare minimum.

Can San Diego Continue Their Rise?

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San Diego FC shocked many in 2025, and 2026 has begun in magnificent fashion after a 4–2 aggregate victory over Pumas in the first round of the CONCACAF Champions Cup. Mikey Varas’ team is led by Anders Dreyer, one of the league’s biggest signings last season.

The future of Hirving Lozano remains uncertain as the club looks to potentially move on from the Mexican star and add a bigger name in the summer.

So far, San Diego FC has arrived in MLS and left a massive mark, but the question of whether it is too good to be true remains unanswered.

It’s Inter Miami’s Season

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Despite what MLS or the experts may want us to believe, the 2026 season revolves around Lionel Messi and Inter Miami chasing the CONCACAF Champions Cup and a repeat MLS Cup.

Inter Miami remains loaded with the usual suspects and has added Sergio Reguilón, Facundo Mura, Germán Berterame, and Dayne St. Clair, somehow staying within the salary cap along the way.

The long-awaited opening of Freedom Park could be christened with some serious silverware this season, and it’s clear that the bar is set incredibly high for this Miami side.