Nico Fernandez just scored a wonderful solo goal in transition. This is why NYCFC spent $8m on him. Came through in a big moment. NYCFC up 1-0 over Charlotte at halftime. Good performance by both. Tight game

Absolutely pristine fall night in Charlotte for some playoff soccer. Gonna be a ton of fans here tonight for Charlotte - NYCFC. @mlsist.bsky.social if the game is like a storm later, what would you call right now ? Pretty calm ?

Nashville & Inter Miami oddly have a lot of shared history, big moments against each other. It continues with tomorrow's decisive game 3. Jack Maher: “I don’t know in the history of MLS there’s ever been a time where you play a team four times in a row." www.nytimes.com/athletic/678...

Sources: MLS Next Pro side AC Grand Rapids have named Darrius Barnes club president. AC Grand Rapids joins MLS Next Pro in 2027. Barnes is club's first hire. Barnes previously worked with Charlotte FC & Crown Legacy FC, where he was named 2023 MLS Next Pro Executive of the Year

Real Salt Lake announces roster update. Biggest news to me? Willy Agada's contract expires and is eligible for free agency. If Agada chooses to stay in MLS, I think he'll have plenty of options. Analysis on RSL (and all other clubs who announced): www.nytimes.com/athletic/673...

🇬🇭 Sources: Philadelphia Union finalizing deal to sign Ghanaian youth int'l forward Ezekiel Alladoh from Brommapojkarna. FotbollSkanalen 1st. Details: - Club-record fee in region of $4.5m - U-22 initiative - Big, physical forward who fits pressing system www.nytimes.com/athletic/678...

I don't think I've reported this publicly or not but: The Colorado Rapids pushed hard for Brian Gutierrez this summer. Was one of their top options after selling Djordje Mihailovic. Colorado landed on a club-record deal for Paxten Aaronson, of course.

The New England Revolution officially name Marko Mitrovic their next head coach. Mitrovic: "I will work relentlessly to deliver a team the fans will be proud to support. I’m excited to get started.”

New: The Chicago Fire has signed midfielder André Franco on a permanent deal from Porto. Club agreed new transfer fee after ACL injury. Club also complete deal to sign Sweden int'l midfielder Anton Salétros. Gregg Berhalter on those deals + offseason plans: www.nytimes.com/athletic/678...

Thank you to Charlotte FC for hosting us tonight and allowing Dean Smith and Zoran Krneta to chat with us An even BIGGER thank you to everyone who came out to hang with the weirdos @tombogert.bsky.social & @empiregass.bsky.social

🇻🇪 Sources: Josef Martinez is departing the San Jose Earthquakes. Mutual decision, we're told. SJ will decline option and he hits free agency. Was team's leading scorer. Martinez always interested in Atlanta reunion. TBD. w/ @felipecardenas.bsky.social www.nytimes.com/athletic/678...

Sources: Sources: Atlanta United finalizing a deal to name Tata Martino head coach. Tata was the first head coach in Atlanta history. A legend at the club. Now he’s back. w/ @paultenorio.bsky.social @felipecardenas.bsky.social

🇺🇸 Sources: Juventus, City Football Group and MLS club have inquired with the Houston Dynamo for USYNT midfielder Brooklyn Raines. No official offers, but convos taken place. Raines' contract expires after 2026. www.nytimes.com/athletic/678...

🇺🇸 Aidan Morris talks USMNT return and Middlesbrough's promotion dreams “Promotion is always a goal, but I hate talking about it, I do. It’s so early, man. This time last year, I was sure we were going to go up, so I just try to stay in the present." www.nytimes.com/athletic/677...

Real Salt Lake head coach Pablo Mastroeni, sporting director Kurt Schmid and assistant sporting director Tony Beltran have signed multiyear contract extensions

🇺🇾🔴 BREAKING: Luis Suarez has been SUSPENDED for Inter Miami's decisive game three playoff match against Nashville SC by MLS Disciplinary Committee, per sources Suarez suspended 1 match for kicking Andy Najar in 71st min Miami appealed. Didn't win appeal www.nytimes.com/athletic/678...

An (admittedly) overprepared 120-page deck; A long list of high-level candidates from within MLS, South America and Europe; A club looking to rebuild. Inside St. Louis City's hiring of Corey Wray as sporting director and what's next www.nytimes.com/athletic/677...

🇲🇽 Sources: Chicago Fire & U.S. midfielder Brian Gutierrez is in process of securing a Mexican passport, & with it, eligibility to represent Mexico in the future. Gutierrez keeping options open. Has 2 senior USMNT caps, both in Jan. camp this year www.nytimes.com/athletic/677...

Our boy @tombogert.bsky.social has the Ice Cream shop open and is breaking news. Join us live talking Revs Mitrovic coaching hire & LAFC frontrunner Marc Dos Santos www.youtube.com/watch?v=1qgG...

BREAKING: The New England Revolution will name Marko Mitrovic their next head coach. Mitrovic is the United States U-20 head coach. Also led the USMNT at the Olympics last year. www.nytimes.com/athletic/677...

Sources: LAFC assistant Marc Dos Santos is the frontrunner to be named LAFC's next head coach when Steve Cherundolo leaves this winter. LAFC fully focused on playoff run now, nothing will be done until winter, but Dos Santos frontrunner. w/ @paultenorio.bsky.social www.nytimes.com/athletic/677...

North Carolina FC makes it official. Owner Steve Malik: "Right now, it’s essential that we focus our immediate resources and energy on strengthening the foundation for professional soccer in Raleigh by continuing to invest in the Courage and resetting our men’s strategy for the future."

Sources: North Carolina FC has applied for membership to USL's new D1 league, which is set to start in 2028. NCFC's USL membership expires after this season. So club's plan is to wait to return until D1 league starts (with pro/rel). No guarantee they get membership, but that's the plan

Had a great chat with USMNT and Boro midfielder Aidan Morris. On his USMNT return: "It was longer than I would've liked, but that’s life... It’s about having a mindset of not being a victim. What are you going to do when you get the chance?" www.nytimes.com/athletic/677...

BREAKING: USL Championship side North Carolina FC informs players they will not be fielding a team in 2026, per sources. NCFC have a playoff game on Saturday. Sources expect club will finish playoff run. Players with contracts now end after two months. www.nytimes.com/athletic/677...

Sources: Chicago Fire finalizing deal to sign central midfielder Anton Salétros from AIK. Deal would be for January. Salétros, 29, has made 229 apps for AIK.

Sources: St. Louis City finalizing deal to name Corey Wray next sporting director. @jeffreycarlisle.bsky.social 1st. Wray has won three MLS Cups as part of front offices with Columbus and Toronto. Bahia’s Carlos Santoro and STL’s John Hackworth also finalists. www.nytimes.com/athletic/676...

COACH IAN FULLER. GAME RECOGNIZE GAME.

Also in there: The LA Galaxy signed forward Christian Ramirez to a new contract. Important deal. I think Ramirez is gonna be excellent in first choice attack in 2026 with Riqui Puig back. Can fill multiple roles too. Smart by all.

The LA Galaxy's contract updates is a lot of continuity — 25 players under contract, 2 in negotiations. Shows belief that 2025 was an aberration, which I'd agree with. Club in talks w/ Diego Fagundez about return + Botafogo for Nascimento Analysis: www.nytimes.com/athletic/673...

From @theathleticfc.bsky.social: Inter Miami is paying Lionel Messi more than 20 Major League Soccer franchises pay their full squads. The latest salary figures also revealed that Son Heung-min is now the second-highest paid player in MLS.

always a good time to re-read this

The salary data isn't 100% perfect when extrapolated to teams For instance, San Diego are paying only the senior minimum of Pellegrino's contract. Similar for Baird (I think). Miami is holding most of Gressel's contract for Minnesota. And so on. Big picture, it's a great resource still

Made my MLS All-Bargain XI with the new salary data. Limited myself to not just exclusively pick homegrowns or superdraft selections. Plenty of options to choose from ⤵️ www.nytimes.com/athletic/675...

The 2025 MLS salary data has been updated, revealing contracts for all summer signings. Son Heung-min is now the second-highest paid player in MLS at $11m All info/analysis, including final salary rankings for all 30 teams, here: www.nytimes.com/athletic/675...

It's time for my favorite piece of content we do every year: our fan survey. This year, we're collaborating with over 20 independent outlets to try and get it out to as many people as we can! If you have even a passing interest in Major League Soccer, could you take a minute and fill this out?

Free Newsletter: I'm starting up with offseason guides for all 30 teams! In today's edition we circle the drain with D.C. United and Atlanta United. 2025 was not kind to them! tacticsfreezone.substack.com/p/offseason-...

Sources: Tata Martino has emerged as the clear frontrunner to be Atlanta United's next head coach. Club still interviewing candidates but clear feeling is Martino likely. w/ @paultenorio.bsky.social @felipecardenas.bsky.social www.nytimes.com/athletic/675...

Sources: The Colorado Rapids and head coach Chris Armas have mutually agreed to part ways.

Lionel Messi ended all speculation by signing a new deal to stay in Miami. But the decision to extend is about more than just his playing days. @paultenorio.bsky.social and @felipecardenas.bsky.social have the details behind Messi's decision to extend his stay ⬇️ 🔗 www.nytimes.com/athletic/675...

The New York Red Bulls made sweeping change, with a new CSO in place and a coaching search underway. Could Michael Bradley jump from 2nd team to 1st? Another name? Jim Curtin would probably consider RBNY opening given proximity to family, per sources. www.nytimes.com/athletic/675...

BREAKING: Sandro Schwarz will not return as New York Red Bulls head coach in 2026. Jochen Schneider will not return as CSO, either. Julian de Guzman named head of sport. Big changes after the club missed the playoffs for the first time in 15 years.

San Diego head coach Mikey Varas tells @andrew-wiebe.bsky.social after the match that Chucky Lozano is on track to play in game two: “As long as there’s no setbacks this week, he should be back.”

Chucky Lozano is NOT part of San Diego's matchday squad for their first-ever MLS playoff match. Lozano is in attendance at the stadium.

Inter Miami beat Nashville 3-1 in the first Round One game of the playoffs. Remember: Best of 3, series not determined on aggregate. Messi had 2g/1a tonight. Messi’s last 8 matches: 12g/9a. Simply unreal.

An interview with Charlotte FC GM Zoran Krneta is available 🎙️ @empiregass.bsky.social & @tombogert.bsky.social talk to him about the road to playoffs, Wilfried Zaha and big picture MLS 🗣️

Will San Diego FC be without their star Chucky Lozano in their first ever playoff match? After an internal incident, a source told @tombogert.bsky.social that Lozano “needs to prove to the locker room how committed he is to the team.” A storyline to keep an eye on 👀😳

🇨🇦 Toronto FC surprisingly declined the 2026 contract option on GK Sean Johnson, but per sources, the sides remain in talks for a new deal. No guarantee an agreement is reached, but talks happening. That + news/analysis of TFC's contract decisions: www.nytimes.com/athletic/673...

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