We’re back.
The Vancouver Whitecaps will look to bounce back from a frustrating 0-0 draw against Cartaginés in the Concacaf Champions Cup when they kick off the 2026 MLS season with their home opener against Real Salt Lake.
The 2025 season was the best and most memorable Whitecaps year in recent memory. Tremendous runs in the Concacaf Champions Cup and the MLS playoffs almost brought unheralded success, while the arrival of Thomas Müller attracted attention the team had never seen before.
All of that played out against a tumultuous backdrop, with questions about the club’s future quietly murmuring away. In this offseason, they have reared their ugly head once again, and the stadium fiasco this winter has far exceeded the chaos we saw last year.
Perhaps that is a good omen for the Whitecaps, and more off-pitch drama could somehow correlate with more success.
Despite losing wingers Ali Ahmed and Jayden Nelson, the roster arguably feels stronger than it did before the transfer window. New signing Bruno Caicedo will help fill the void in that department, with Kenji Cabrera likely to make an impact after impressing in cameos since joining in the summer.
Crucially, the bulk of the squad has stayed together. Tristan Blackmon remains in Vancouver despite interest from Inter Miami, while Yohei Takaoka signed a new deal and Sebastian Berhalter has not yet left, although he is heading into the final year of his contract.
With new faces like Chiekh Sabaly, Oliver Larraz, and AZ Jackson added to the squad, this is a team that can once again compete at the top of the MLS table.
After failing to grab an away goal in Costa Rica, Sørensen will have to decide which competition to prioritise when considering who may play on Saturday. Müller may start after playing half an hour off the bench in midweek, while Ralph Priso could be brought in to help manage minutes early in the season. Visa issues have so far prevented Sabaly and Caicedo from arriving in Canada, and although those are expected to be resolved shortly, they may not be ready in time for Saturday’s game.
Turning to the visitors, Real Salt Lake have had an interesting offseason following their disappointing ninth-place finish and early playoff exit.
Stalwarts Brayan Vera and Braian Ojeda were two of many established stars to depart, leaving for fellow MLS outfits CF Montréal and Orlando City respectively. They have been replaced by Colombian centre-half Juan Jose Arias and midfielder Steijn Spierings. RSL have also bolstered their front line, with Guinean forward Morgan Guilavogui arriving from Ligue 1 side RC Lens to complement talisman Diego Luna.
Although it can be dangerous to read too much into preseason, I have looked at their lineups and infer that RSL will shift from their more traditional 4-2-3-1 system to a 3-4-3 formation for the upcoming campaign. This will give Luna more options and support, making them more dangerous in attack and creating a tricky proposition for Vancouver’s back line.
Games between the pair tend to be fairly even, with each side having won 15 of the 35 clashes they have played. However, after doing the double over their rivals on their way to winning the Western Conference last year, the Whitecaps are favourites heading into the season opener. They will be expecting to get their campaign off to a perfect start with three points.