MLS returns from its World Cup break: What to watch, the new stars and where the league left off
Between the World Cup semifinals and final, MLS returns from a nearly two-month break with a first slate of matches on Thursday and Friday.
It’s been a long time coming.
As the globe descended on North America for the World Cup, with all focus firmly on the biggest tournament on the planet, MLS hasn’t occupied much memory space, even for the league’s diehard fans. Yes, MLS featured a league-best 45 players in the World Cup this summer — including two, Inter Miami’s Lionel Messi and Rodrigo De Paul, who will play for a second straight title with Argentina in Sunday’s final vs. Spain. But the particulars of what happened in the first 15 weeks of the season might be a little hazy, or even completely foreign to fans who got caught up in World Cup fever and may find themselves more interested in MLS and soccer in America than before.
In other words, we could all use a cheatsheet on where the league was when we left it, what has happened this summer to influence the rest of the season and the biggest things to come.
Big picture, where MLS left off
There are a couple usual suspects near the top of the standings … and also some pleasant surprises.
Nashville SC tops the Eastern Conference as well as the Supporters’ Shield race with 33 points after 14 matches, even holding a game in hand over Inter Miami.
Nashville was a darling darkhorse pick by many and still has exceeded expectations over the first portion of the season, with free-agent winger Cristian Espinoza fitting seamlessly into a star-studded attack with Hany Mukhtar and Sam Surridge. The club is making a key addition this summer, signing Tunisia World Cup winger Elias Saad from Augsburg, as previously reported by The Athletic.
The Chicago Fire — adding some firepower of their own in the form of Polish legend Robert Lewandowski — is in third with the New England Revolution fourth in the East, a big surprise. The club has been excellent at home in a front-loaded schedule and is ahead of its own timeline in a transition year under first year head coach Marko Mitrović.
Out West, the Vancouver Whitecaps hold the top spot. It isn’t a shock, as the team hasn’t lost a step after making the MLS Cup final last winter. Playing without star attacker Ryan Gauld again so far this year, struggling with injury just like he did in 2025, Thomas Müller, Sebastian Berhalter and Brian White lead the way for a club whose future in its market remains wholly uncertain.
The San Jose Earthquakes are level with Vancouver on points. This is one of the most pleasant surprises in the league, with Bruce Arena leading the team — which has not hosted a playoff game in more than a decade — with a squad of mostly domestic, undervalued players and a big-name forward in Timo Werner.
Two more pleasant surprises in a wide-open West: Third-place Real Salt Lake and fourth place FC Dallas. RSL, if you haven’t watched much this year, plays some of the most aesthetic soccer in the league. Dallas has one of the best individual players in Croatian World Cup forward Petar Musa with a strong team around him.
Typical heavy hitting LAFC and Seattle Sounders are above the playoff line but off the top-four pace at the moment. One of the more bizarre stats from the first few months of the season? Son Heung-min has yet to score a league goal for LAFC (though he does have nine assists, tied for most in the league).
The Philadelphia Union, who shockingly won the Supporters’ Shield last year, are in dead last right now. San Diego FC, who topped the Western Conference in their first year, are below the playoff line in the West.
Oh, yeah, and there have been seven coaching changes already.
New stars arriving
Antoine Griezmann (Orlando City): The French star is preparing to make his official debut for Orlando City next week after appearing and scoring in friendlies upon his arrival in the U.S. The 35-year-old joins after a legendary run in Spain, most notably with Atlético Madrid.
Griezmann puts a jolt into an Orlando side that is in need of a boost, but not too far off the playoff line. He will be the center of the team’s attack, which will look different than prior to the World Cup. Orlando traded Duncan McGuire to the Houston Dynamo and is finalizing the return of Daryl Dike on a free transfer, per sources.
Robert Lewandowski (Chicago Fire): After a long pursuit by the Fire, Lewandowski decided to join the club after leaving Barcelona this summer.
Lewandowski, who turns 38 next month, remained quite productive when on the field last season, with 18 goals and four assists in 2,279 minutes between La Liga and the Champions League. He scored 120 goals in 193 appearances over four seasons for Barcelona.
Lewandowski joins Hugo Cuypers, the league’s current Golden Boot leader (13 goals) as part of a two-headed Fire attack, and how they mesh will go a long way in determining the club’s fortunes.
Brazilian midfielder Casemiro is set to become the latest star to join Inter Miami (Lars Baron / Getty Images)
Casemiro (Inter Miami): This deal hasn’t officially been announced yet, but rest assured, Casemiro to Inter Miami is happening.
After featuring for Brazil at the World Cup following a renaissance year for Manchester United, the 34-year-old heads to Miami to join up with Messi, De Paul and Germán Berterame, and he fills a role left by Sergio Busquets, who retired over the winter.
Allan Saint-Maximin (Charlotte FC): After a successful half season at Lens, Saint-Maximin is on the move again and, now, becomes one of MLS’s most exciting and unpredictable wingers at Charlotte FC. He takes the place of Wilfried Zaha, whose loan expired midseason.
Brais Méndez (Columbus Crew): Méndez doesn’t have the same name recognition to casual soccer fans as the first four, but he could be just as impactful of a summer addition.
The Spanish attacking midfielder joins the Crew on a near-club-record deal from Real Sociedad. The vast majority of his career had been in La Liga, first with Celta Vigo, and he has been a productive attacker in Spain’s top flight the whole time.
Mendez, 29, had 33 goals and 24 assists over 166 appearances for Sociedad after 22 goals and 18 assists in 166 games for Celta Vigo.
Bénie Traoré (NYCFC): Another key signing that may fly under the radar, NYCFC brought in the Ivory Coast international winger from FC Basel.
Traoré, 23, had 25 goals and 15 assists in his last two seasons in Switzerland and was expected to make a move to a bigger European club only for NYCFC to get the deal done.
One key aspect is Traoré is a natural winger but can play through the center if needed. The team is awaiting the return of forward Alonso Martínez at some point before the end of the year. He can play with Martínez or through the center until he returns.
First matches
The league returns on Thursday with CF Montréal hosting Toronto FC in the first of six games taking place before the World Cup actually ends. After that is Lewandowski’s potential Chicago debut at home against the Whitecaps and Müller, his former Bayern Munich teammate. The game also pits Fire coach Gregg Berhalter against his son, Sebastian, the Vancouver and U.S. national team midfielder.
Thomas Müller’s got jokes 🤣@esmuellert_ will face off against his old friend Robert Lewandowski Thursday (8:30pm ET on Apple TV): https://t.co/rkPLeh6krJ pic.twitter.com/42x1wkPjND
— Major League Soccer (@MLS) July 16, 2026
The nightcap on Thursday, following St. Louis City vs. Sporting Kanasas City, is a Cascadian rivalry match between the Seattle Sounders and Portland Timbers. Portland is nearing the appointment of a new head coach after parting ways with Phil Neville in May, hoping to salvage their season.
Friday features a nationally televised doubleheader on Fox, with Nashville SC-Atlanta United setting the table for another tense rivalry, with the LA Galaxy hosting LAFC.
Most watchable teams
Through some combination of quality, style, aesthetics and intrigue, these are the five teams I’m most excited to watch over the next month or so as the league returns:
Red Bull New York: This team has a few things going for them that makes me want to keep tuning in:
- Some of the league’s best young players, between Adri Mehmeti, Julian Hall, Ronald Donkor and Matty Dos Santos
- Michael Bradley has the team playing attack-minded soccer that is beautiful yet naive, which is perfect for a neutral. These games have goals both ways.
- Star power, around Emil Forsberg in particular.
Houston Dynamo: Another team that likes to play possession-based, front-footed soccer is the Dynamo. With McGuire in at center forward, I think their goals will go up from the service of Mateusz Bogusz, Jack McGlynn and more.
Colorado Rapids: Like RBNY, the Rapids want to all-out attack in their own way while being vulnerable in defense. Another parallel is that they have some fun young talent, namely Lucas Herrington and Paxten Aaronson. They are also mean, getting stuck into every duel they can and unapologetically so.
LAFC: This team can be frustratingly conservative and hasn’t changed too much yet (despite the exit of midfielder Stephen Eustaquio), but it still features Son and Denis Bouanga. Let’s not overthink this.
Inter Miami: That whole “let’s not overthink this” line applies x10 here — although it remains to be seen when Messi and De Paul will return to action following the World Cup final.
Lionel Messi and Rodrigo De Paul will play for the World Cup title on Sunday vs. Spain (Elsa / Getty Images)
MLS All-Star
It seems odd for the league to be back for two weeks and then launch into an exhibition, but such is the schedule in a World Cup year. The top MLS talents will descend on Charlotte at the end of July for the annual All-Star Game festivities against a group of Liga MX standouts.
There’s a World Cup flavor to both squads, which have been revealed. Four U.S. men’s national team players — Berhalter, Tim Ream, Matt Freese and Max Arfsten — will play for MLS, while a slew of other selections also played in the World Cup: Messi, De Paul (Argentina); Musa (Croatia); Herrington (Australia); Mbekezeli Mbokazi (South Africa); Maxime Crépeau, Richie Laryea (Canada); Steven Moreira (Cape Verde).
The big question: Will Messi show this year? Or be given a special dispensation to miss out? Last year, per league rules, he (along with Jordi Alba) was a non-injury no-show and thus earned a one-game suspension.
Liga MX’s side, revealed on Wednesday, includes five Mexico World Cup players: teen sensation Gilberto Mora, Erik Lira, Jesús Gallardo, Brian Gutiérrez and Armando González; former U.S. international Richy Ledezma; and Costa Rican goalkeeping great Keylor Navas.
It does not, however, include USMNT World Cup winger Alejandro Zendejas, who just underwent a knee procedure, according to Club América.
Crédito: Link de origem