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One Need for Every MLS Western Conference Club Heading Into 2026
The 2025 MLS season is in the books, and it was one that few would have expected in the Western Conference, with expansion side San Diego FC topping the regular season table and the Vancouver Whitecaps advancing to MLS Cup for the first time.
With parity and competition as high as they have ever been, there is reason to believe that any team could make some noise in 2026, the final season before MLS switches to a winter calendar in 2027 and 2027–28.
How will each club build towards 2026? Sports Illustrated takes a look at one key need for every Western Conference team, ordered by their 2025 table finish.
1. San Diego FC
Key Need: A proven striker
San Diego FC had an exceptional debut season, but struggled to produce up the middle in attack, a factor that contributed to their eventual demise against Vancouver. Corey Baird isn’t the type of striker to make the most out of Anders Dreyer’s talents out wide, and a clinical, proven goalscorer could make this team even more dangerous.
They started business early this winter, too, as they appear set to sign Scottish international winger Lewis Morgan from Red Bull New York, potentially as a replacement for DP winger Hirving Lozano, who did not live up to expectations.
2. Vancouver Whitecaps
Key Need: Left back
The Vancouver Whitecaps will have plenty of interest in some of their best players, but their core remains under contract with Thomas Müller, Ryan Gauld, Brian White and Sebastian Berhalter all signed through at least 2026.
For potential improvements, focus on the left back position could be key. 2025 MLS SuperDraft pick Tate Johnson impressed in his rookie season, stepping up after Canadian international Sam Adekugbe suffered an injury. Still, Johnson’s form and Adekugbe’s health are not factors to rely on with MLS Cup as the goal.
3. LAFC
Key Need: Center back
LAFC will have a new coach as Marc Dos Santos takes over from Steve Cherundolo next season, but the style is likely to stay the same, with the Canadian having been Cherundolo’s top assistant. Their ideas will likely be consistent as well, with the team's success reliant on Denis Bouanga and Son Heung-min’s attacking connection.
A key need for the team remains at center back. Captain Aaron Long is expected to return after injury, but likely needs a better first option alongside him outside of Ryan Porteous and Eddie Segura.
4. Minnesota United
Key Need: Striker... or goalkeeper?
Minnesota United’s season took a step back once they sold star striker Tani Oluwaseyi to Villarreal in La Liga, giving up his speed in transition, which allowed them to counter-attack to perfection. If manager Eric Ramsay wants to keep a similar low-possession approach, they need another option like Oluwaseyi to play alongside Kelvin Yeboah up top.
A wildcard in their offseason, though, could be between the sticks. MLS Goalkeeper of the Year Dayne St. Clair is a free agent after playing a key role in the Loons’ success, and if he doesn’t return, they could come crashing down the table relatively quickly.
5. Seattle Sounders
Key Need: Defensive midfielder
The Seattle Sounders have all three DPs, Pedro de la Vega, Albert Rusnák and Jordan Morris under contract for next season and will hope for full health after each had injury spells in 2025. However, they have needs in defensive midfield and on the wing.
Finding a replacement in midfield for João Paulo could be a top option, but their priority may quickly shift to the wing, should emotional leader Paul Rothrock leave in free agency.
6. Austin FC
Key Need: A chance creator
Austin FC will hope Brandon Vazquez returns to full health after injuries hampered him and their attack through 2025, but their most significant issue was the lack of chance creation from midfield.
Owen Wolff produced, but he isn’t the key creator, leaving a spot for a TAM-level signing in midfield, given their DP spots are tied up for 2026. For context, Austin ranked 20th among all teams in chances created, the lowest among playoff teams.
7. FC Dallas
Key Need: Attacking midfielder
Beware FC Dallas fans, approach this with caution. While signing former MLS MVP Luciano Acosta from FC Cincinnati didn’t work out, the potential for an attacking midfielder to elevate the front two of Logan Farrington and Petar Musa could still be an enticing move to make.
Manager Eric Quill’s side could sign up to two DPs this offseason and one of them should be a difference-making attacking midfielder.
8. Portland Timbers
Key Need: Midfield depth
There are plenty of questions surrounding the Portland Timbers, maybe the biggest of which is the length of Phil Neville’s time as manager, should the Timbers get off to a slow start in 2026.
From a player perspective, the starting lineup is likely full, barring an exceptional signing at any position. However, there isn’t much depth in central midfield, where 40-year-old Diego Chará is expected to still play significant minutes alongside David Ayala and Joao Ortiz.
9. Real Salt Lake
Key Need: Center back
Real Salt Lake made the Wild Card game in the 2025 MLS Cup playoffs, but have not had many game-changers on their team. They have spent significant cash on attacking talent, much of which has not paid off, but there remains hope that Victor Olatunji and others could find form in 2026.
Their main priority now will be at the heart of defense, after selling Brayan Vera to CF Montréal to start their offseason roster moves.
10. San Jose Earthquakes
Key Need: Winger or striker
The San Jose Earthquakes missed the 2025 MLS Cup playoffs on a tiebreaker, but showed plenty of positive progress in the first season under manager Bruce Arena. However, they entered the offseason with top striker Josef Martínez and veteran winger Cristian Espinoza as free agents.
If they lose both of them, they will need to prioritize a creative winger, after Espinoza led MLS in key passes in 2025. Yet, if only one leaves, they need to find a quick fix in that position.
11. Colorado Rapids
Key Need: Center back
The Colorado Rapids dipped to 41 points in 2025 after hitting 50 in 2024. They made a franchise-altering change to send Djordje Mihailović to Toronto FC, only to spend that money on Paxten Aaronson, who underdelivered in his first few months.
Their area for improvement this offseason could come at center back, after declining the contract option on Andreas Maxsø. Expect 30-year-old English defender Rob Holding to have one of the roles, but they will likely seek another starting option alongside him.
12. Houston Dynamo
Key Need: A dynamic attacker
The Houston Dynamo had some bright spots under manager Ben Olsen in 2025, but continued to look like they were missing a piece in attack to help produce alongside Ezequiel Ponce.
The Dynamo have the option to open a DP spot and could spend significantly on a new attacker, but will no doubt be wary after their last big-name attacking signing, Hector Hérrera, didn’t work out.
A new attacker could also free up USMNT midfielder Jack McGlynn into a new role, potentially elevating his play as well.
13. St. Louis CITY SC
Key Need: A manager
St. Louis CITY SC have a bevvy of questions to answer heading into 2026, after the club appointed Corey Wray as Chief Soccer Officer, replacing Lutz Pfannenstiel. Their biggest question now is finding a new manager.
Once Wray appoints his first manager in the role, they can begin to look for other talent, potentially including a forward to support João Klauss, who has yet to live up to his DP billing.
14. LA Galaxy
Key Need: Winger
The LA Galaxy will hope that their 2025 season was a fluke after winning MLS Cup in 2024 and it likely was, given they missed DP attacking midfielder Riqui Puig for the entire season.
With Puig back in the lineup, manager Greg Vanney will hope he can elevate forward Christian Ramírez and the other talents. Yet, there will still be some need for new signings, potentially a wide midfielder, after the club declined the contract option for veteran Diego Fagúndez.
15. Sporting Kansas City
Key Need: Defenders, lots of them
Last I checked, you need more than two defenders on a roster, right? Sporting Kansas City don’t.
The priority for SKC is to find a new manager this offseason, after hiring David Lee from New York City FC as their new President of Soccer Operations & General Manager. Once that’s completed, they need to build out their roster, which currently has only 17-year-old Ian James and 23-year-old Jansen Miller signed as defenders.
Quite literally, any defensive signings are vital, and the club could also use a proven starting goalkeeper, as they have only 17-year-old Jack Kortkamp and 24-year-old John Pulskamp on the roster.
There’s a lot of work to do.
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Ben Steiner is an American-Canadian journalist who brings in-depth experience, having covered the North American national teams, MLS, CPL, NWSL, NSL and Liga MX for prominent outlets, including MLSsoccer.com, CBC Sports, and OneSoccer.