2026 MLS Eastern Conference: Preview, Season Predictions

The 31st edition of Major League Soccer gets underway on Saturday night, with reigning MLS Cup champions Inter Miami the overwhelming favorites to dominate the Eastern Conference.

An aggressive offseason means Javier Mascherano’s side are arguably stronger than they were last year—a frightening prospect for the other 14 franchises looking to make their mark and dent the ambitions of the Herons.

With the wait almost over, Sports Illustrated previews and predicts the fortunes of every MLS Eastern Conference club in 2026.

15. New England Revolution

Carles Gil (center) remains a vital piece of the New England Revolution. | Joseph Maiorana-Imagn Images

The New England Revolution are one of nine MLS sides entering this season with a new man on the touchline as former USMNT U20 and U23 manager Marko Mitrović takes over from Caleb Porter for 2026.

Much of their success will continue to be defined by club legend Carles Gil, who scored 10 goals and 14 assists in 34 matches, as well as likely USMNT World Cup backup goalkeeper Matt Turner, who will look for strong form heading into this summer’s tournament. Meanwhile, Leonardo Campana hopes to represent Ecuador at the World Cup as well and will hope to score more than his seven goals in 24 matches from 2025.

Yet this team also took a step back in the offseason, losing a key part of their backline in Brandon Bye, while adding only two young Americans with experience under Mitrović in Brooklyn Raines and Griffin Yow.

It’s going to take a lot to be good in the Eastern Conference this season and while this Revolution team is necessarily bad, per se, it might not have what it takes to truly contend for a postseason spot.

14. CF Montreal

Prince Owusu will look to build on his 13 goals from 2025. | David Kirouac-Imagn Images

CF Montréal has not qualified for the MLS Cup playoffs just once since 2017, and we’re predicting that drought continues, despite an aggressive offseason by the French-Canadian side.

Last season, they struggled to produce much in the way of exciting soccer under manager Marco Donadel, who now returns as the permanent manager after serving as an interim.

They will look to striker Prince Owusu to repeat his 13 goals and five assists season from 2025, but will also have other options, including Daniel Ríos, who scored three goals in 31 matches as a depth striker with the Vancouver Whitecaps in 2025.

Their backline and midfield, however, will be significantly improved. They became the beneficiaries of Inter Miami’s efforts to sign Germán Berterame and have a loaned Miami DP, center back Tomás Avilés, onto their squad—the Argentine defender bringing 87 games of experience across all competitions.

At the same time, Venezuela international Wiki Carmona previously played for Red Bull New York and will improve the midfield, while Icelandic international Dagur Dan Thorhallsson has proven to be a versatile piece over the past three seasons with Orlando City.

Overall, CF Montréal made some good moves ahead of the 2026 season, but it is unlikely to be enough to make a strong playoff push.

13. D.C. United

Tai Baribo headlines D.C. United's offseason additions. | MLS/Getty Images

D.C. United have ponied up in the offseason, splashing cash on proven MLS talents in an effort to quickly turn things around for the Audi Field faithful. They reportedly paid at least $4 million to the Philadelphia Union for Tai Baribo, and will hope he can score at the rate that saw him net 16 goals in 29 matches with the Supporters’ Shield Winners.

D.C. also secured USMNT and MLS veteran Sean Johnson in free agency after the 36-year-old enjoyed a standout season with Toronto FC, before securing Sean Nealis from Red Bull New York to secure the defense, which allowed an Eastern Conference-high 66 goals last season.

The spine of the team has been fixed, but there are still remaining concerns around it. This season should see some improvement, even if it’s not quite enough to make the postseason cut.

12. Atlanta United

Miguel Almirón will hope to lead Atlanta United’s rebound in 2026. | Jordan Godfree-Imagn Images

If there is a team among these predictions that will finish in a wildly different position, it’s probably Atlanta United. In 2025, we predicted they would finish second in the Eastern Conference, only for them to shock by finishing 14th, parting ways with manager Ronny Deila midway through the campaign.

This season, they’ve reinstated manager Gerardo “Tata” Martino on the touchline, bringing back the famed coach who led them to the MLS Cup in 2018 and whose last MLS job saw him break a regular-season points record with Inter Miami in 2024.

From a coaching standpoint, they’ve fixed the problem. From those on the pitch, however, the drastic improvement will likely come from the players who underperformed last season. Will striker Emannuel Latte Lath outscore his seven goals after joining for $22 million last winter? And how will the likes of Miguel Almirón and Aleksei Miranchuk perform after disappointing campaigns?

There is a real chance at success for The Five Stripes this season, but it will take a massive shift from 2025 to make it happen.

11. Toronto FC

Djordje Mihailović enters his first full season with Toronto FC. | Dale Zanine-Imagn Images

Toronto FC has done plenty of good this offseason after missing the MLS Cup playoffs for the fifth season in a row. Now, the expectations rise, after splashing cash to bring in USMNT frontman Josh Sargent from Norwich City, who they hope can fill the striker void that has plagued the club since Jozy Altidore's 2022 departure.

USMNT defender Walker Zimmerman shores up the center back position, and Matheus Pereira is a strong signing at left back, potentially alleviating some of the pressures on Richie Laryea. Meanwhile, Djordje Mihailović should keep up his top-tier contributions in his first full season with the club, having scored four goals and four assists in 10 matches after joining for a reported $8 million transfer fee.

Unfortunately for the Reds, they showed their struggles with a rotation of underperforming strikers in 2025, and those problems could continue into 2026, despite the club's best efforts to fix them.

10. Red Bull New York

Emil Forsberg looks to lead Red Bull New York back to the MLS Cup playoffs. | Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images

Red Bull New York saw their 15-year MLS Cup playoff streak come to an end in 2025. That led to the departure of manager Sandro Schwarz, leaving them to appoint former USMNT star and MLS Cup champion Michael Bradley to his debut first-division position, after winning MLS Next Pro with RBNY II.

In an effort to turn things around, the newly appointed head of sport, Julian de Guzman, has brought on a formative transfer window, bolstering the attack by adding Jorge Ruvalcaba and Cade Cowell from Liga MX, while also continuing with the pair of Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting and Emil Forsberg—they scored 17 and 11 goals respectively in 2025.

Aside from the attacking reinforcements, they have moved on from Paraguay international goalkeeper Carlos Coronel, replacing him with USMNT backstop Ethan Horvath—he returns to MLS after a spell with Cardiff City. Meanwhile, U.S. youth international defender Justin Che has also joined.

There is plenty of turnover on this Red Bull side to start 2026, and it may take some time for Bradley to sharpen his managerial skills in the top flight. But they should be able to contend for a playoff spot, even if they fall just short.

9. Orlando City

Marco Pašalić will play a key role for Orlando City this season. | Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images

Few managers in MLS know how to get more out of a roster than Óscar Pareja, and he will look to do just that in the Eastern Conference, which is up for grabs, outside of the top spot. Unfortunately, we’re picking them to claim the top Wild Card spot, one step better than they did in 2025.

They moved on from attacker Luís Muriel this offseason. They will enter 2026 relying on attacking contributions from Martín Ojeda and Marco Pašalić, who scored 16 and 12 goals, respectively, last season. Ojeda, in particular, will be key as he looks to replicate not only his 16 goals in the regular season, but his 15 assists.

Outside of those offensive drivers, the Lions had a fun offseason. They replaced veteran Peruvian goalkeeper Pedro Gallese with Canadian Maxime Crépeau, as he looks to find form and a place as his nation’s World Cup starter, and Braian Ojeda from Real Salt Lake—the midfielder seeking an opportunity on Paraguay’s World Cup squad.

They’ve also bolstered with midfielder Luis Otávio, a U22 signing from Brazilian Série A side Internacional, alongside Iago Teodoro, who captained Brazil at the 2025 FIFA U-20 World Cup.

This will be a team reliant on its stars and coaching, and with that, could find some relative success in 2026.

8. New York City FC

The biggest news of New York City FC’s offseason is what they didn’t do — where’s the new striker? After losing Alonso Martínez to injury for the most important moments of 2025 and much of 2026, NYCFC did not address the need for new attacking firepower this offseason, leaving a void in their potential.

Instead, they will rely on continued elevated play from last year’s summer signing, Nicolás Fernández Mercau, who scored three goals and an assist in 11 games after joining, as well as a 39-year-old Maxi Morález, the ageless wonder who scored two goals and 11 assists in 2025.

Their backline and spine will also be tested, having lost homegrown midfielder/defender Justin Haak in free agency. Still, they will also rely on one of the league’s best goalkeepers in Matt Freese, who seeks stellar form at the start of the campaign to secure his position as the USMNT’s starting option at the 2026 World Cup.

The start of the year will be a struggle attacking-wise for manager Pascal Jansen’s men, but a potential summer return for Martínez, if not a new signing, could make them a real postseason threat.

7. Philadelphia Union

The Philadelphia Union enter as the defending Supporters’ Shield winners, but are a very different team than the one that ended the 2025 MLS season. No longer will they rely on MLS Defender of the Year finalist Jakob Glesnes, leading goalscorer Tai Baribo or three-time MLS All-Star Kai Wagner, as all three departed for significant fees in the offseason.

Yet, that is, in part, what the Union is built on. They’re a club that brings in unheralded talent, elevates them through tactical quality and a club identity, before shuttling them off to new destinations for significant profit. They did it after winning the Supporters’ Shield in 2020, and they’ve gone on to execute a similar plan following 2025.

However, it leaves them with a significant gap, given that Baribo and Wagner combined for 32 goal contributions. To cushion their fall, they brought in a 20-year-old Ghanaian striker, Ezekiel Alladoh, for a club-record fee of reportedly $4.5 million and Colombian defender Geiner Martínez, but both will need to take significant steps to maintain the levels fans are used to.

The key to success this season will be based on Andre Blake’s health between the sticks, as well as how much players can commit to MLS Coach of the Year Bradley Carnell’s tactical identity

6. Charlotte FC

Charlotte FC enters its second season with Ivory Coast superstar Wilfried Zaha and another year under manager Dean Smith, with hopes of making some significant noise in the Eastern Conference.

Zaha, himself, looks to continue his stellar MLS play after scoring 10 goals and 10 assists in 30 matches in his debut season.

Outside of Zaha, The Crown completed the permanent transfer for talismanic attacking midfielder Pep Biel, who has 10 goals and 12 assists in his 26 matches, and brought in USMNT World Cup hopeful Luca de la Torre, who spent the 2025 season with San Diego FC in the Western Conference.

At the same time, Israel international striker Idan Toklomati enters this year’s campaign brimming with confidence, having netted 11 goals in 1,806 minutes, while assuming the starting striker position after Patrick Agyemang’s sale to Derby County last summer.

Already with a baseline level of success, Charlotte should continue to contend with some of the best this year, even if their inconsistency could lead to a sixth-place finish.

5. Columbus Crew

Wessam Abou Ali enters his first full season with Columbus Crew. | Samantha Madar/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

If you got the Columbus Crew to answer honestly, would they have rather brought back Wilfried Nancy for this season after his short, not-so-sweet month-long tenure with Celtic FC? We’ll never know, but it’s a question worth pondering, especially if things under the new manager, Henrik Ryström, don’t quite go to plan.

Regardless of the coaching change, this should be a good team. Wessam Abou Ali arrived in the league with plenty of fanfare after his FIFA Club World Cup performances last summer, but struggled to stay healthy.

Now with a full offseason of recovery, the Palestine international should be good to go and could vote for the Golden Boot this season, given his 38 goals and 10 assists in 60 appearances with Egyptian giants, Al-Ahly.

In addition to his potential, they will also look for an improved season from last year’s early-season acquisition, Daniel Gázdag, as well as superstar attacker, Diego Rossi, who managed 16 goals and four assists last season.

Among their new signings, Azerbaijani striker Nəriman Axundzadə also arrives on a U22 deal, having gained UEFA Champions League experience early in his career, and young American striker Chase Adams joins as a tertiary striking option after Jacen Russell-Rowe’s departure.

We’re yet to see what this new era of Crew soccer looks like compared to the very identifiable Nancy-era, but they have the pieces for success in 2026.

4. Nashville SC

Hany Mukhtar (left) and Sam Surridge. — Hany Mukhtar (left) and Sam Surridge lead Nashville SC into 2025. | Alex Menendez/Getty Images

Nashville SC entered a new era in club history without USMNT center back and now ex-captain, Walker Zimmerman, at the back. Yet they bolstered the roster in the offseason and will bring back one of the most fluid front pairings in MLS.

While rumors swirled throughout the offseason about a potential transfer abroad, Nashville managed to keep control of striker Sam Surridge, who scored 24 goals to finish in the top three in the Golden Boot race last season and returns with that honor in sight once again. He’ll also continue to link up with former MLS MVP Hany Mukhtar, who had 16 goals and 12 assists in a stellar season alongside Surridge up top in 2025.

Those two will only get more fuel and opportunity in 2026, with the club having added Cristian Espinoza from the San Jose Earthquakes in free agency, after he scored 26 goals and 70 assists in 218 career regular-season games and led all of MLS in key passes in 2025.

The right side of the pitch will be among the best in MLS with the potential of Andy Najár, Espinoza and Mukhtar all playing up the one flank, potentially providing an unbalanced attack and a tactic to take advantage of defenses around the league.

3. Chicago Fire

Hugo Cuypers looks to improve in his second season under Gregg Berhalter. | Matt Blewett-Imagn Images

Welcome to the second year of the Gregg Berhalter show as the former USMNT manager looks to improve the Chicago Fire even more, after leading them back to the MLS Cup playoffs for the first time since 2017 in 2025.

Likely to play a 4-3-3 with a midfielder dropping back into more of a holding role, Berhalter will lean on a front three of Philip Zinckernagel and Jonathan Bamba on the wings, buoyed by Belgian DP striker Hugo Cuypers up top. In total, the front three combined for 17 goals last season and practically defined Chicago’s threats.

Through the offseason, they’ve made several key signings that could diversify their attacking potential, highlighted by 2024 MLS All-Star Robin Lod from Minnesota United, who comes after scoring 41 goals and 28 assists across 185 appearances with the Loons.

At the same time, the backline continues to improve as Canada international center back and late-2025-season acquisition Joel Waterman strives for a World Cup roster spot with Canada and is joined by U22 signing Mbekezeli Mbokazi, who seeks the same with South Africa.

With a targeted approach from Berhalter and already significant improvements in his first season, there should be high hopes for more steps forward in 2026. At the same time, they could even get a midseason boost, given they’ve previously been in the market for superstars like Neymar and Kevin De Bruyne, among others.

2. FC Cincinnati

The key question for FC Cincinnati—can Evander and Kévin Denkey link up in attack, or will they continue to be two of the league’s best attacking talents, but largely solo threats?

Since winning the Supporters’ Shield in 2023, Cincinnati has remained an Eastern Conference force and, under manager Pat Noonan, is likely to remain among the league's elite even if everything doesn’t quite go to plan.

But what if it does? What if Denkey elevates his game by playing in a more fluid role off Evander, and what if Evander continues the level he scored at in 2025 with 18 goals and 15 assists? And how about USMNT defender Miles Robinson’s presence on the backline, now in the first year of a new contract that makes him the highest-paid defender in MLS?

2026 is a massive prove-it year for the Gary Lions in many respects. They haven’t actually won anything yet and could opt for a new direction in 2027 if the end product doesn’t yield any trophies this season. At a minimum, however, they should remain a strong regular-season side.

1. Inter Miami

It’s going to be a challenge to see which teams can actually put up a strong game against Inter Miami this season. Truthfully, there could be quite a few lopsided scores for a team that, at least on paper, should win every trophy available and break their previous MLS regular-season points record of 74 points set in 2024.

Coming off the 2025 MLS Cup and back-to-back MVP seasons for Lionel Messi, Miami has only improved this offseason. First, they secured the best goalkeeper in the league, luring 2025 MLS Goalkeeper of the Year Dayne St. Clair from Minnesota United in free agency, before signing ex-Portland Timbers David Ayala in midfield and Mexico international Germán Berterame up top for a record $15 million fee.

Oh yeah, they somehow kept MLS Cup playoffs record goalscorer Tadeo Allende on a non-DP deal as well.

While they will miss former La Liga and Premier League fullback Sergio Reguilón for the first portion of the campaign, after he suffered an injury in preseason, they will be able to turn to depth like never before in club history.

No MLS club has ever reloaded and upgraded like Miami did this offseason. They have stated that winning the Concacaf Champions Cup is a main goal, but their depth and talent could have them slated for a quadruple of Champions Cup, Supporters’ Shield, MLS Cup and Leagues Cup in 2026.

2026 MLS Eastern Conference: Preview, Season Predictions—Fierce Competition All Round