The 31st season of Major League Soccer kicked off this past weekend bringing fresh faces, early fireworks, and plenty of storylines as clubs began their march toward the 2026 MLS Cup.
St. Louis 1, Charlotte 1
The first match of the 2026 campaign saw St. Louis SC host Charlotte FC in front of a sold out crowd in St. Louis. St. Louis CITY SC controlled much of the afternoon and took the lead through Marcel Hartel. The winger's long-range shot found the back of the net in the 60th minute, giving the hosts the first goal of the 2026 MLS season. Charlotte answered just 13 minutes later when Pep Biel calmly struck the ball into the far corner to level the score at 1-1, marking his MLS return.
St. Louis can take positives from their attacking volume, but rightfully feel aggrieved they couldn't convert 22 shots, 11 on target into all three points.
Charlotte's biggest takeaway is likely the resilience and star power they flashed on the road. Biel and goalkeeper Kristijan Kahlina (10 saves) showed that this attack and back line can come away with results in hostile settings. St. Louis will visit San Diego FC on Sunday night, while Charlotte continues west for a meeting with the LA Galaxy on Saturday.
Cincinnati 2, Atlanta 0
To Cincinnati, Ohio next where FC Cincinnati welcomed Atlanta United to their fortress. In what was a quiet match for a while, FC Cincinnati finally broke through late in the game’s 80th minute. Forward Kévin Denkey first broke the deadlock before hometown hero defender Nick Hagglund rose above everyone at the near post to head home a 90th-minute corner kick and cap off a 2-0 win over Atlanta United. The goal was extra sweet for Hagglund, who spent a large chunk of last season out injured after suffering multiple broken ribs and a punctured lung during the teams’ previous matchup with Atlanta last season, ultimately making a statement that he is back at the heart of this group.
The lesson Cincinnati can take away from this match is that their defense depth and hold-up played strong even after 2025 MVP finalist Evander limped off, demonstrating a team that's constructed to be a playoff contender once again.
For Atlanta, head coach Tata Martino's team was organized and effective at times early on but struggled to have razor sharpness in the final third. FC Cincinnati turns to a midweek Concacaf Champions Cup matchup before traveling to St. Paul to take on Minnesota United on Saturday, while Atlanta travels west to take on San Jose Earthquakes that same day.
D.C. 1, Philadelphia 0
In our nation’s capital, D.C. United hosted the Philadelphia Union in front of a home crowd at Audi Field. Former Union striker Tai Baribo had his revenge party against his former club, rifling the only goal of the match. Veteran MLS goalkeeper Sean Johnson earned a clean sheet, making crucial saves to keep the Union off the board. The Philadelphia Union suffered another blow when striker Ezekiel Alladoh, in his MLS debut, was given a direct red card for dissent in the 59th minute.
For D.C., the takeaway is a confident defensive spine and midfield control under new coach René Weiler that limited a potent Union attack, signaling early promise from new signings like Johnson and Baribo.
Philly must regroup from disjointed play and disciplinary lapses that squandered their shot advantage, highlighting issues with new faces in a high-stakes opener. D.C. United travels to Texas to face Austin FC on Sunday while Philadelphia looks to midweek Concacaf Champions Cup action before taking on New York City FC in their home opener Sunday.
New York 2, Orlando 1
Red Bull New York began the Michael Bradley era with a 2-1 victory at Orlando City SC's Inter&Co Stadium signaling a fierce response to last year’s shocking postseason miss after a 15-year playoff streak ended. A brace from 17-year-old forward Julian Hall in the first half put the Bulls up early and held until stoppage time. Hall opened the scoring in the 8th minute, then doubled his tally late in the first half. The win came on the heels of an impressive depth showing by the Bulls' young attack. New goalkeeper Ethan Horvath made six clutch saves to protect the lead for the majority of the game, before Orlando's Tiago Souza tapped home a consolation goal in the 96th minute.
The lesson for the Red Bulls is that ‘Bradley Ball’ is clicking already. Their signature pressing game rediscovered through youthful legs to start fast and point to a speedy recovery from missing the playoffs last season.
For Orlando, it's that a sleepy first half underscored their defensive weaknesses, though their second-half push in their first game shows fight under coach Oscar Pareja if they can avoid slow starts. Red Bull New York will welcome the New England Revolution in their home opener on Saturday while Orlando will host city in-state rivals Inter Miami on Sunday.
Vancouver 1, Salt Lake 0
To Vancouver, British Columbia next where the Whitecaps welcomed Real Salt Lake to a charged BC Place. Neither side found the back of the net by halftime after Vancouver shook the post with Thomas Müller's effort and RSL had a goal called back for offside. However, Vancouver finally got on the board in the 57th minute as new signing Aziel Jackson capitalized, drilling home a slick first-time finish to give Vancouver a 1-0 advantage. Goalie Yohei Takaoka then made a massive 89th-minute save on Salt Lake’s Zavier Gozo to seal the shutout victory and pick up a hard-fought season opener.
Vancouver’s lesson from this game is that with clinical attackers up front and defensive determination they are once again instant West contenders just a year after being the runners up in MLS Cup.
Real Salt Lake will take their young homegrown-heavy squad plays with gusto and courage away from home but they were unable to turn pressure into meaningful chances and were a bit too inexperienced against this caliber of opponent. Vancouver will remain home to face in-state rivals Toronto FC on Saturday night while Real Salt Lake return home for a match against the Seattle Sounders on Saturday night.
Austin 2, Minnesota 2
To Austin, Texas next where Austin FC welcomed Minnesota United FC to Q2 Stadium. Austin's newest signing, Designated Player Facundo Torres, made an immediate impact finding Brendan Hines-Ike with a whipped corner kick in the seventh minute for the 1-0 lead. Morris Duggan equalized Minnesota's odds in the 40th minute, but Austin regained their lead when Myrto Uzuni scored on an easy tap-in, only for Kelvin Yeboah to score in the 90th minute to steal a draw.
A lesson for Austin from the match is set-piece dominance and attacking depth when Torres and Uzuni are firing on all cylinders like they were early on. The downside to that late-game flurry was exposure on the back post when their attack turned defensive.
Meanwhile for Minnesota, learn to keep your cool late in games after starting slow. Players coming off the bench like Padelford and Yeboah can be difference-makers in big moments. Austin FC will play host to D.C. United this Sunday and Minnesota United return home to take on FC Cincinnati this Saturday.
Dallas 3, Toronto 2
Moving on to Frisco, Texas, FC Dallas played host to Toronto FC at Toyota Stadium. Dallas’s Petar Musa opened the scoring in the ninth minute after finishing calmly before Toronto equalized through Đorđe Mihailović in the 15th minute which was then followed by a Logan Farrington goal to put Dallas back on top in the 38th minute. Derrick Etienne Jr. put Toronto level for the second time in the 67th minute after tapping home the rebound of Dániel Sallói's strike, but Musa ended up being the match-winner in the 74th minute, flicking it past Toronto keeper Luka Gavran who finished with five saves.
FC Dallas’ lesson is that Musa and Farrington have enough attacking juice and mentality to finish chances when pressured.
Toronto FC’s lesson is that they still leak soft goals due to defensive disorganization despite having quality up front. FC Dallas showed they could be contenders in the Western Conference early on with their great offseason of reconstructions. Dallas remains home to take on Nashville SC on Saturday, while Toronto FC will travel west to take on the Vancouver Whitecaps that day.
Houston 2, Chicago 1
Next up is Houston, Texas as the Houston Dynamo FC played host to Chicago Fire FC at Shell Energy Stadium. Chicago took the lead in the 31st minute as Hugo Cuypers capitalized on a rebound in the box to blast his third consecutive season opening goal. Solo-heroics from Guilherme Santos proved to be the difference as he leveled the match in the 67th minute with a header from a corner kick and then gave Houston the lead in the 78th minute by slamming home a rebound off his first shot.
What Houston can learn from this game is their second half fortitude and Santos' ability to find the back of the net in crunch time. Ben Olsen’s squad proved they can be considered sleeper picks to make a run in the Western Conference early this season after missing the playoffs last year.
For Chicago, there’s a lesson they know all too well: wastefulness. Despite dominating parts of the game, Chicago found themselves on the wrong side of late concessions yet again. This one will certainly sting but it’s another reminder that Gregg Berhalter’s rebuild needs to clean up their defending late in games when opponents are pushing for goals. Houston will remain home for a date with a tough LAFC squad on Saturday night while Chicago will host CF Montréal in their home opener on Saturday afternoon.
Nashville 4, New England 1
Turning to the music city where Nashville SC hosted the New England Revolution at GEODIS Park. Sam Surridge opened his account with a first half brace, scoring in the fifth minute and doubled his team's lead in the 16th minute off a counterattack to bring the score to 2-0 early. Hany Mukhtar then slotted Nashville SC ahead 3-0 in the 39th minute with a blistering, first-time volley, before Leonardo Campana gave the Revolution a glimmer of hope back with a header in first half stoppage time. Madrigal completed the scoring to make it a 4-1 Nashville rout right out of the break.
Nashville's takeaway from this game is that their attack is deadly, and their new addition of Madrigal combining with Surridge and Mukhtar seems to be gelling early on as they look to take the Eastern Conference by storm.
For New England, the takeaways in Marko Mitrovic's first match as manager are obviously falling behind early and looking like they can't keep up with Nashville's high-energy. Nashville SC will look to keep the success rolling when they travel to Texas to face FC Dallas on Saturday night, following a midweek Concacaf Champions Cup match while New England will travel to Red Bull New York Saturday afternoon.
Los Angeles FC 3, Miami 0
Heading to Los Angeles, California next, LAFC hosted defending MLS Cup champions Inter Miami CF at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum for a league record-high attended 2026 season opener with 75,673 in attendance. David Martínez scored first in the 38th minute drilling a left-footed shot past Miami goalkeeper Dayne St. Clair. The teams headed to the locker room 1-0 with LAFC only having 37% of the ball, but possession would prove to just be a number. Denis Bouanga then extended the lead in the 73rd minute on a signature run-and-finish before Nathan Ordaz put the game away in added time (90+4') to secure the 3-0 win as LAFC's defensive unit was able to silence Lionel Messi throughout the match as Miami CF could only record three shots on goal.
LAFC tactical discipline on the counter remained their biggest takeaway as they stifled a star-studded attack and continued to look like MLS Cup favorites with early season goal scoring from players like Bouanga and Son.
As for Inter Miami, the lesson learned is they are coming off a midweek Concacaf journey and there are no days off for Javier Mascherano's side despite playing Messi. LAFC welcome Real España to Banc of California Stadium on Tuesday as they look to finish business in Concacaf Champions Cup Round of 16 before heading to Texas to face the Houston Dynamo on Saturday, while Inter Miami will visit Orlando City SC on Sunday night.
Portland 3, Columbus 2
Heading to Portland, Oregon, the Portland Timbers hosted the Columbus Crew at Providence Park. Columbus got on the board in the sixth minute through Wessam Abou Ali, but Felipe Mora tied things up in the 14th minute thanks to an assist from Diego Chara — who earned his 400th career start with the Timbers — before Antony put Portland on top in the 20th minute. Diego Rossi leveled it at 2 for Columbus in the 44th minute, but ultimately Ariel Lassiter netted the game winner in the 88th minute to finish off a wild second half battle.
What Portland can learn from this game is that their attacking transitions and substitutions were able to erase deficits and overpower opponents. This team looks poised to make another run come playoff time, if homefield advantage is on their side yet again.
As for Columbus, defensive mistakes will be their reminder that despite efficient finishes, Henrik Rydströmcrew’s side needs to clean things up if they drop points away from home like they did on Saturday. The Portland Timbers will visit the Colorado Rapids on Saturday afternoon while The Columbus Crew will visit Sporting Kansas City on Saturday night.
San Diego 5, Montréal 0
San Diego FC erupted with a 5-0 victory in their home opener at Snap Dragon Stadium against CF Montréal. Christopher McVey put them on the board in the 14th minute off a header. Amahl Pellegrino increased their lead in first half stoppage time, sending it past Montréal goalkeeper Thomas Gillier on a quick counter attack. Onni Valakari scored his side's third in the 54th minute after Montréal were reduced to 10 men when Avilés was sent off four minutes earlier. Marcus Ingvartsen added to the total five minutes after Valakari's goal in the 59th minute blasting the ball home. Eighteen-year-old substitute Bryan Zamblé added a sixth in the 85th minute sealing the rout.
Taking away from this match, San Diego FC showed that their speed and deadly finishing with their revamped attackers like Dreyer and Ingvartsen means they are a team to be immediately feared in the West after their surprising playoff emergence in their first season in 2025.
As for CF Montréal, absolutely nothing. Catastrophic defending put a spotlight on gaping holes in their defensive corps under new boss Marco Donadel, and served as a brutal wake-up call on the road that needs immediate attention. San Diego FC will remain home to take on St. Louis City SC on Sunday night and CF Montréal will head to Chicago to take on Chicago Fire FC on Saturday afternoon.
San Jose 3, Kansas City 0
San Jose, California was next on the tour where the San Jose Earthquakes hosted Sporting Kansas City at PayPal Park. Daniel Munie opened the scoring for the Earthquakes in the 42nd minute with a blistering header before Preston Judd added the second just three minutes later in the 45th on a fast break to score from inside the box. Munie added his second goal of the match early in the second half, scoring his second of the game in the 54th minute with a precise finish for a 3-0 shutout win to give them the victory.
San Jose’s lesson from this game should be that they are dangerous from set pieces and when they are clinical in the second half, they can come roaring back from last season’s disappointment.
Sporting KC’s lesson under new coach Raphael Wicky? Youth can be exciting but also frustrating, as Sporting KC let soft goals slip against a team that included the debuts of six players. They’ll have to grow up fast if they want production on the road. San Jose Earthquakes host Atlanta United FC Saturday night and Sporting KC hosts Columbus Crew that same evening.
LA Galaxy 1, New York City 1
Staying on the west coast, the LA Galaxy played host to New York City FC on Sunday night at Dignity Health Sports Park. João Klauss put the Galaxy on the scoreboard, thumping one home from a quick break just two minutes into the game. NYCFC struck back in the second half as Nicolás Fernández added one from the spot in the 66th minute following a foul in the box salvaging a hard-fought 1-1 draw.
LA Galaxy's lesson from this game is that they come out guns blazing and play well at home, but being scored on from the spot is something they'll look to avoid.
New York City FC learned that they can recover from a careless start to a game, and that Fernández is a cool-headed player in the clutch. LA Galaxy will remain home to take on Charlotte FC on Saturday night while New York City FC will travel to Philadelphia Union on Sunday afternoon.
Seattle 2, Colorado 0
Rounding out matchday one, to Seattle, Washington next where Seattle Sounders FC welcomed the Colorado Rapids to a raucous Lumen Field. Albert Rusnák gave the Sounders the perfect start they could have asked for when he found the back of the net in the 15th minute with a perfectly placed header. Paul Rothrock added the second in the 62nd minute when he found the back of the net, resulting in a comfortable 2-0 win.
Seattle’s takeaway from this game should be how dangerous they can be when they limit mistakes and attack with a killer mentality, which they have consistently done under Brian Schmetzer.
Colorado’s takeaway should be how costly early mistakes can be, despite out-possessing opponents. The Seattle Sounders will travel to Real Salt Lake on Saturday night while the Colorado Rapids will host the Portland Timbers that afternoon.
Overall, matchday one of the 2026 MLS season delivered fireworks from coast to coast, with dominant shutouts, late drama, and early statements from new signings powering a record-setting weekend. As contenders emerge and underdogs dig in, Week 2 promises even more intensity with rivalries reignited and points up for grabs.
MATCHDAY TWO SCHEDULE
*ALL matches streamed on Apple TV
Saturday Feb. 28
CF Montréal @ Chicago Fire 2:30 PM EST
New England Revolution @ Red Bull New York 2:30 PM EST
FC Cincinnati @ Minnesota United 4:30 PM EST
Portland Timbers @ Colorado Rapids 4:30 PM EST
Atlanta United @ San Jose Earthquakes 7:30 PM EST
Seattle Sounders @ Real Salt Lake 7:30 PM EST
Columbus Crew @ Sporting Kansas City 8:30 PM EST
LAFC @ Houston Dynamo 8:30 PM EST
Nashville SC @ FC Dallas 8:30 PM EST
Toronto FC @ Vancouver Whitecaps 9:30 PM EST
Charlotte FC @ LA Galaxy 10:30 PM EST
Sunday March 1
D.C. United @ Austin FC 2:30 PM EST
New York City FC @ Philadelphia Union 4:30 PM EST
Inter Miami CF @ Orlando City SC 7:00 PM EST
St. Louis SC @ San Diego FC 9:15 PM EST
