Di 2026 World Cup don finish, and Major League Soccer players don make imprint. 46 MLS players take part for di tournament, and dem show say di league get quality wey fit compete for world stage. Even though nobody bring di trophy come back, di summer na landmark moment for soccer for North America. Di momentum wey dem build, MLS hope to carry am go forward for di coming weeks, months, and years.
MLS don ease back into action wit five games between di World Cup semifinals and final, but di full return of di league come dis Wednesday. All 30 teams dey play, and plenty of dem go welcome back di talents wey grace di world stage. Sports Illustrated don predict di 15-match slate wey make up Matchday 17 of di 2026 MLS regular season.
Vancouver Whitecaps suppose play last week for a highly-anticipated clash between dia own Thomas Müller and new Chicago Fire superstar signing, Robert Lewandowski. But smoky conditions force dat match to postpone, so Vancouver get chance to rest afta playing two Canadian Championship games for five days di week before. Wit a full week off and back for rhythm, Müller, alongside USMNT World Cup star Sebastian Berhalter, go look to secure all three points against FC Cincinnati side wey neva fully find im rhythm for 2026 season, despite impressive form from Evander. Prediction: FC Cincinnati 2–2 Vancouver Whitecaps.
Columbus Crew make splash for transfer window, sign former Manchester United defender Eric Bailly, and di team enter di post-World Cup part of di schedule wit back-to-back wins from di spring. Some of di top players even get back into rhythm for a 1–1 draw wit EFL Championship club Burnley last week. Taking on New York City FC no easy task, but without real attacking edge due to injuries, di Pigeons fit get trouble to find any goals. Prediction: Columbus Crew 2–0 New York City FC.
Robert Lewandowski go finally make im debut. Afta missing out on clash wit Vancouver and Thomas Müller last week due to smoke, im dey set to hit di pitch for di first time for Chicago Fire colors dis weekend against Inter Miami, even afta cheering on Spain alongside many of im ex-FC Barcelona teammates for a box at di World Cup final. While im likely to get some minutes, dem no go likely happen against Lionel Messi or Rodrigo De Paul, wey both dey expect to miss di match afta a heartbreaking loss wit Argentina for di World Cup final. E also present an interesting day for Chicago, afta di club sell MLS Golden Boot leader Hugo Cuypers to Liga MX side CF Monterrey dis week, favoring Lewandowski for di role. Prediction: Inter Miami 2–2 Chicago Fire.
New England Revolution enjoy a stellar start to 2026 and return from di break sitting fourth for Eastern Conference, one point behind Inter Miami for third place. Carles Gil and Luca Langoni go fit pick back up where dem leave off almost two months ago? E possible, but questionable. Toronto FC, on di other hand, get chance to get back to match form last week wit a scoreless draw for di Canadian Classique against CF Montréal. E no be stellar performance, but both Josh Sargent and Richie Laryea go hope to lead di team to im first win since April 4 dis week. Prediction: New England Revolution 1–0 Toronto FC.
Philadelphia Union manage to get worse over di break, at least on paper. Already sitting at di bottom of di Eastern Conference, di downtrodden defending Supporters’ Shield winners now must move forward without star center back Olwethu Makhanya, wey neva return to di team and want to leave, according to The Athletic. While dat factor dey challenging, young stars headline dis game. Cavan Sullivan, 16, suppose dey see im first-team minutes ramp up for di second half of di season, and im fit battle wit Red Bull New York’s 17-year-old Adri Mehmeti and 18-year-old striker Julian Hall, di latter of whom get nine goals and dey bound for di MLS All-Star Game. Prediction: Philadelphia Union 0–4 Red Bull New York.
Charlotte FC go through transition dis summer. Dia marquee name no longer Wilfried Zaha but rather another former Premier League player, Allan Saint-Maximin, wey come to di club afta brief spells wit Club América for Mexico and Lens for France. E don be since di 29-year-old dey at im best, but wetin im fit offer alongside other attacking talents like Pep Biel and Idan Toklomati? Atlanta United return to MLS play last week wit a loss to Nashville SC. E tough sledding for di Five Stripes right now, and even Miguel Almirón continue to struggle afta a disappointing World Cup performance wit Paraguay. Prediction: Charlotte FC 3–0 Atlanta United.
Seattle Sounders go want to move on quickly from last week’s 5–1 Cascadia Cup defeat against Portland Timbers and go get opportunity to do just dat as dem hit di road to take on Austin FC. Austin FC, meanwhile, go hope dat di summer fix dia problems afta entering di World Cup break on a three-game skid, during which dem allow a combined 10 goals for losses to San Diego FC, Sporting Kansas City and St. Louis CITY SC. C. United. Di MLS original acquire El Salvador international and now former LAFC forward Nathan Ordaz, wey heavily bolster di attack alongside headline offseason additions Tai Baribo and Louis Munteanu. Given dat firepower, dem suppose fit push for di MLS Cup playoffs, but go have to improve defensively. Di Dynamo dey back at home afta dia stadium serve as a constant World Cup fan fest and go hope dat each of Guilherme and Jack McGlynn fit continue dia strong performances from di early stages of di season. C. United.
Minnesota United enter di post-James Rodríguez era, wey likely be advantage, given how little factor di Colombian legend play and how much distraction im become, given manager Cameron Knowles’s stance on im place for di team. While di Loons neva show plenty dis season, dem dey massive favorites against Sporting Kansas City, wey lack any top-end talent outside of striker Dejan Joveljić, wey get seven of di team’s 16 goals dis season. Prediction: Sporting Kansas City 1–3 Minnesota United.
Nashville SC reach di hallmarks of an elite team last week—di ability to win, despite having a bit of an off day. Di performance against Atlanta United for di return from di World Cup na anything but positive, but dem still come out wit a 1–0 victory. Di Supporters’ Shield leaders, led by Hany Mukhtar and Sam Surridge, take on a struggling CF Montréal dis weekend at home and suppose fit cruise to victory. Prediction: Nashville SC 5–1 CF Montréal.
San Diego FC dey for di market for a new Designated Player, even though di troubling situation wit Hirving “Chucky” Lozano’s exile don continue. Until dat dey sorted out, though, dem no go be too much of a challenge, even wit Anders Dreyer’s exploits on di wing and Marcus Ingvartsen’s 11-goal start to di season, wey get am for MLS Golden Boot contention. Colorado Rapids far from a titan at dis point, but a string of mixed results get dem for di bottom tier of di Western Conference. Afta spending significant cash on Paxten Aaronson and others, finding some form—quickly—dey vital for Colorado for di second half of di campaign. Prediction: Colorado Rapids 3–3 San Diego FC.
St. Louis CITY SC pick up a valuable win for di Heartlands Derby last week, wit Eduard Löwen scoring for di 86th minute to secure all three points for a back-and-forth game wey end 3–2 for dia favor. A. Galaxy side wey flounder for a 3–0 loss at home against LAFC for last week’s El Tráfico. A. Galaxy 1–1 St. Louis CITY SC.
LAFC dey more dan flying high right now. Afta a disappointing World Cup wit South Korea, Son Heung-min return to LAFC at a high tempo and impress for El Tráfico, scoring im first goal of di season for a dominant effort. Wit dat type of form, e tough to see dem losing, particularly as dem return home to BMO Stadium—even against a strong Real Salt Lake side, buoyed by Zavier Gozo and Diego Luna. Prediction: LAFC 3–0 Real Salt Lake.
Portland Timbers get a relatively poor start to di season under previous manager Phil Neville, but afta parting ways wit di English boss and opting for an interim staff, di spirits seem high—how dem no go be, afta trouncing di Sounders 5–1 for di Cascadia Cup derby last week? Coming up against FC Dallas no go easy, afta star striker Petar Musa score against England for di World Cup, but e suppose be a winnable game for front of di homecoming Timbers Army crowd. Prediction: Portland Timbers 3–1 FC Dallas.
Why hello there, Antoine Griezmann. Afta scoring for friendlies against USL clubs to get up to speed for North America, di 2018 World Cup winner and France legend dey ready to go for im MLS debut. While di start of di season rough for Orlando, dem fit very well be one of di strongest teams for di second half, wit an attack led by Griezmann and di return of Darryl Dike from West Brom, as well as a reinvigorated Maxime Crépeau between di sticks, following a successful World Cup wit Canada. San Jose Earthquakes no go make tings easy, though, especially given dat Orlando dey di visitors. Di Earthquakes sit atop di Western Conference, and star German attacker Timo Werner still dey work up to im best form. A cross-conference game rarely get so much intrigue, but dis one certainly get, given di championship possibilities for San Jose and di rekindled roster for Orlando. PT FC Cincinnati vs. PT Columbus Crew vs. PT Inter Miami vs. PT New England Revolution vs. PT Philadelphia Union vs. PT Charlotte FC vs. PT Austin FC vs. PT Houston Dynamo vs. C. PT Sporting Kansas City vs. PT Nashville SC vs. PT Colorado Rapids vs. A. Galaxy vs. St. PT LAFC vs. PT Portland Timbers vs. PT San Jose Earthquakes vs. CBC Sports, and OneSoccer.
