While the NFL dominates January headlines, MLS clubs are quietly filing into preseason camps across Florida, California, and beyond. The 2026 season kicks off February 21, and this one matters more than most fans realize.
It's the last full season before MLS shifts to a summer-to-spring format in 2027. It's the final run before the World Cup arrives on American soil. And it's the year we find out if the league's recent infrastructure investments actually produce results.
The smart money says they will. But not for the reasons the league office wants you to believe.
Inter Miami enters as defending champions — and that's actually interesting
Forget the Messi narrative for a second. The more significant development is that Inter Miami won MLS Cup by playing actual team football, not by depending on one player to bail them out every match.
Their defensive structure improved dramatically last season. Their midfield rotation worked. The supporting cast finally looked MLS-caliber instead of like Messi's background dancers.
Whether they can repeat with a year older Messi and the pressure of being champions is genuinely uncertain. That uncertainty is what makes this worth watching.
Philadelphia Union hold the Supporters' Shield — and nobody's talking about it
The Union finished with the league's best regular season record and got approximately 3% of the national attention Miami received. That's American soccer media in a nutshell, but it's also why Philly enters 2026 with a chip on their shoulder the size of the Liberty Bell.
Jim Curtin's system produces results. The academy pipeline keeps delivering. And while they've come up short in playoffs, the consistency is remarkable in a league designed for parity.
Watch them closely this preseason. If they've added the finishing piece they've been missing, this could finally be their year.
The schedule change looming over everything
Starting in 2027, MLS will run from July to May with a winter break — aligning with the European calendar instead of fighting against it.
The implications are massive:
- Players will be match-fit for Concacaf Champions Cup instead of starting it during preseason
- The summer transfer window aligns with the season instead of falling mid-campaign
- Weather concerns shift from "how do we play in Minnesota in March" to "how do we play in Orlando in August"
This 2026 season is effectively the league's farewell tour to the old format. For longtime supporters, there's something bittersweet about that.
San Diego FC joins the party
The expansion club is building from scratch in one of America's best soccer markets. Whether they can compete immediately or need a few years to find their footing will tell us a lot about MLS's expansion process.
The early signs are mixed. They've moved on from Chucky Lozano already, which suggests the roster construction needs work. But the market support is real, and patient ownership can overcome early stumbles.
What preseason will actually tell us
Most preseason results are meaningless. A 3-0 win against a USL squad in Florida tells you nothing about October form.
What matters is who's getting minutes. Watch the young players pushing for roster spots. Watch which European imports look comfortable with the pace. Watch which coaches are experimenting versus which are already in playoff mode.
The clubs that use preseason intelligently — integrating new pieces, building fitness gradually, protecting their stars — tend to peak when it counts. The ones that chase results in February often fade by summer.
February 21 can't come soon enough
The league has never had this much quality depth. The academies are producing genuine prospects. The international credibility has improved. And with a World Cup on the horizon, the spotlight will only intensify.
MLS isn't perfect. The playoff format rewards chaos over consistency. The roster rules remain overly complicated. Some owners still treat their clubs like hobbies instead of professional operations.
But the trajectory is undeniably upward. This season might be the one that proves it — or the one that exposes how much work remains.
Preseason is just getting started. The real test begins next month.