As MLS continues to increase investment into players from abroad, not every signing translates from one league to the next 🚫 So: where MLS teams are shopping for players? And which leagues are paying off? From @behindthefal.bsky.social ⤵️

It's the surprise stars that often define the USL Championship season, so who should you be watching in 2026? I've got one breakout pick for all 25 teams as the new year approaches. www.backheeled.com/each-usl-cha...

Which under-the-radar players could turn into stars in the USL Championship this year? Get to know your team's best breakout player candidate ahead of the 2026 season 👀 From @usltactics.com ⤵️

𝗧𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗟𝗲𝗮𝗴𝘂𝗲! 𝗟𝗶𝘃𝗲. 𝟳𝗣𝗠 𝗘𝗧. Don't miss our USL Championship video show streaming on YouTube 📽️ 📺 ➡️ youtube.com/@backheeled

Even MLS's shortest average away trip is nearly double the Premier League's longest trip — and travel isn't close to even for all 30 MLS teams ✈️ But does travel distance actually matter? Maybe not as much as we think, writes @aclausen90.bsky.social. Read ⤵️

On the surface, it’s business as usual in the USL Championship: teams are in preseason and signing players. But behind the scenes, CBA talks are "frustratingly unproductive". Is a work stoppage brewing? @usltactics.com examines where negotiations stand ⤵️

For the first time, Backheeled is covering the ins and outs of USL League One 🏆 Here’s where all 18 teams stand ahead of the new season, from favorites to question marks. From @usltactics.com ⤵️

The USMNT has four friendlies remaining before the World Cup — but for Maurcio Pochettino, those friendlies are "four World Cup games" 🇺🇸 With key matches nearing, who should be in the U.S. squad? @sanjaysujan.bsky.social projects Pochettino's roster. Read ⤵️

What does it take to build a USL roster? I talked to Fort Wayne FC’s Oliver Gage and the Richmond Kickers’ Darren Sawatzky about the scouting process – from the use of data to organizational structure and everything in between. www.backheeled.com/how-usl-club...

Obed Vargas grew up playing on frozen fields in Alaska. Now he's an Atletico Madrid player. Here's how a Mexican-American family grew in an unexpected place — and helped produce one of the biggest transfers MLS has ever seen. From @jonarnoldfc.bsky.social ⤵️

Every USL team faces the same challenge: finding the right players 🔎 How do they scout? And where are USL clubs shopping? “It would be silly to look at such an appropriate player pool right in front of your nose and say no to it." From @usltactics.com ⤵️

📝 @backheeled.com: There's no possible way to replace Riqui Puig, but signing João Klauss actually makes a lot of sense to get the best out of their attack.

Set for yet another season without Riqui Puig, the LA Galaxy will have to evolve to compete without their biggest star ✨ Here's how the Galaxy's offseason — one filled with major signings at both ends — has prepared the team for 2026. From @benwright.bsky.social ⤵️

18 months ago, Alex Freeman was playing for a reserve team in a third-division league. Now? He's a regular for Mauricio Pochettino's USMNT and is headed to Villarreal. This is the story of Freeman's rise, one featuring both kinds of football ⤵️

The last USL Championship CBA expired a month ago, and we're barely a month away from the 2026 season. Where do things stand? For @backheeled.com, I check in on the state of the ongoing negotiations as the specter of a work stoppage looms. www.backheeled.com/usl-cba-tens...

On the surface, it’s business as usual in the USL Championship. Behind the scenes, CBA talks have been "frustratingly unproductive". Is a work stoppage brewing? @usltactics.com examines where negotiations stand on key topics, from hotels to healthcare ⤵️

MLS is making strides when it comes to youth development, but which teams are at the forefront? We dive into MLS's best youth development clubs 📈 From @aclausen90.bsky.social ⤵️

NEW: We've got 25 teams in the USL Championship this year, but where do they stand as preseason camps begin? For the first time this year, I'm power ranking everyone from #1 to #25. Check in! www.backheeled.com/usl-champion...

With preseason camps open across the USL Championship, which teams are looking strongest ahead of 2026? @usltactics.com ranks all 25 teams from top to bottom 📈 Find out where your club stands ⤵️

We've teamed up with the all-new @fantasyutd.bsky.social to create a special Backheeled MLS fantasy league! Join our league and prove you’re the best chief soccer officer around. Details and info on how to sign up here ⤵️

Playing young players in MLS is one thing. Getting real impact from them is another. Which teams are getting the best on-field production from their academy products? @aclausen90.bsky.social dives into MLS's best youth development clubs 📈 Read ⤵️

ICYMI: We’ve got seven new teams joining the USL fold this year, so I broke down the expansion class and previewed what’s coming in 2027 and beyond. www.backheeled.com/usl-expansio...

What's the latest on USL expansion? Ahead of the USL's plans to add a first-division men's league and grow their pyramid, @usltactics.com gives an expansion update. Get to know this year's class and the organizations hoping to follow suit ⤵️

​​Inter Miami’s MLS Cup defense is unlike anything MLS has seen. Signing star after star this winter, the club still has room for more ✨ @benwright.bsky.social examines Miami's historic offseason and the mounting pressure on the team to deliver in 2026. Read ⤵️

The Designated Player rule helped MLS land David Beckham and Lionel Messi. But now? It's holding the league back, writes @boomstyx.bsky.social. Here's what's wrong with the DP rule — and how to fix it. Read ⤵️

Oh hey. New me dropped.

The Designated Player rule has been crucial for MLS's growth, helping David Beckham and Lionel Messi sign in the league. But now? The DP rule is a drag on MLS’s improvement rather than a driver, writes @boomstyx.bsky.social. Here's what's wrong with the DP rule — and how to fix it ⤵️

A new year means the 2026 USL season is just around the corner 👀 @usltactics.com examines what's to come for the USL with 10 predictions, ranging from off-field trends to tactical shifts to players due for a breakout. Read ⤵️

The USMNT's biggest year ever — headlined by this summer's World Cup — has just begun. @sanjaysujan.bsky.social has 10 bold predictions for Mauricio Pochettino's team in 2026, from a World Cup run to a big-money transfer 🔮 Read ⤵️

🔮 Inter Miami, best MLS team...ever? 🔮 Two breakout striker candidates 🔮 Coaches on the move 🔮 Out-of-nowhere cashfer 10 big MLS predictions for @backheeled.com ⤵️

It's a new year, which means a new MLS season is on the way. @joeclowery.bsky.social has 10 bold MLS predictions for 2026, from Inter Miami setting records to breakout stars to struggling teams 🔮 Read ⤵️

The USL offseason has been historically busy — we've seen spending sprees, free agent splashes, and new records 👀 But which signings stand out above the rest? @usltactics.com examines the best offseason moves (so far) ⤵️

💰 For @backheeled.com, I took a look at six MLS players who could be prime candidates for cash transfers – “cashfers”.

Since MLS introduced cash trades last season, superstars and young talents have changed hands 💰 Who could be on the move this offseason? @benwright.bsky.social dives into the best candidates, from an elite striker to top-tier budget options. Read ⤵️

2025 was a big year for Backheeled, filled with more and better U.S. soccer coverage than ever before. To our paid subscribers: thank you! None of our work would be possible without you. A look back — and a look forward to 2026 ⤵️

The MLS SuperDraft isn't what it once was. It's not longer televised, nor does it serve as way to build the backbone of a roster. But make no mistake: there's still value in the draft. Here's why — and here are the players to watch in this year's class, from @travismclark.bsky.social ⤵️

Back in January, @usltactics.com made 10 bold predictions for the 2025 USL season ranging from an MVP favorite to expansion 🔮 Today, we’re looking back at those predictions to see what went according to plan — and what didn’t. Read ⤵️

The MLS SuperDraft isn't what it once was. It's not longer televised, nor does it serve as way to build the backbone of a roster. But make no mistake: there's still value in the draft. Here's why — and here are the players to watch in this year's class, from @travismclark.bsky.social ⤵️

Predicting MLS often feels like a fool's errand — but did that stop @joeclowery.bsky.social? Not at all. We're looking back at 10 MLS predictions made at the start of 2025, from transfers to tactics to trends 🔮 🆓

There have been plenty of successes for the USMNT under Mauricio Pochettino’s guidance. But the biggest success of all? The U.S. has depth now. Could that depth fuel a World Cup run on home soil, ponders @jerryhinnen.bsky.social? Read ⤵️

Your MLS offseason primer, examining the biggest question facing all 30 teams this winter for @backheeled.com. 🟣 Can Orlando's new starters raise their ceiling? 🟡 How will the Crew replace Nancy, Nagbe? 🔴 Can Dallas give Petar Musa some help? ⚫️ + 27 more questions

The MLS offseason is in full swing — and @joeclowery.bsky.social is here to set the stage for all 30 teams. Here's each MLS team's biggest offseason question heading into 2026, from potential new signings to replacing key cogs to stylistic direction. Your MLS offseason primer ⤵️

Compare it to any other American sports league, and the USL is unique. In the face of that limiting structure, how can clubs thrive? I spoke to ownership at Detroit City and One Knox to find out. www.backheeled.com/usl-ownershi...

Revenue sharing is a key part of every major professional sports league around the globe — but not the USL, where a privately held LLC soaks up earnings. @usltactics.com examines the USL's central ownership structure and the challenges it creates for clubs across the country. Read ⤵️

🇺🇸 USMNT World Cup drew reaction + analysis 🏆 How Inter Miami won MLS Cup ➡️ What's next for Miami, Vancouver Whitecaps Listen to The Backheeled Show 🎧

MLS Cup? That’s old news. With the offseason fully underway, @benwright.bsky.social examines the storylines worth monitoring. ▪️ Will the looming World Cup spark roster rules change? ▪️ Where will the top free agents land? ▪️ How will Inter Miami use their open DP spot? ▪️ ...and much more Read ⤵️

Inter Miami’s MLS Cup triumph made one thing clear: nothing shy of perfection can stop them. The Vancouver Whitecaps threw every punch they could at Miami on Saturday — but Lionel Messi’s outfit still couldn’t be toppled. From @benwright.bsky.social ⤵️

MLS Cup kicks off later today — and we’re getting you ready with an in-depth preview 🔮 Inter Miami vs. Vancouver Whitecaps 🏆 Storylines. Tactics. Film. Stats. Coach insights. You have plenty of time to read before kickoff. From @joeclowery.bsky.social ⤵️

As MLS's two best teams prepare to take the field in Saturday's MLS Cup, here's what you need to know: ▪️ How Inter Miami, Vancouver Whitecaps got here ▪️ Why each team will win ▪️ Why each team will lose ▪️ What kind of game to expect @catabush.com analyzes the numbers behind Miami and Vancouver ⤵️

After an unexpected coaching change, the Pittsburgh Riverhounds still managed to claim the USL Championship’s most prized piece of silverware 🏆 How did acting coach Rob Vincent help fuel the a playoff run for the 'Hounds? @usltactics.com spoke to Vincent and analyzed Pittsburgh's late changes 🆓