Former Oregon State, UCLA Striker Added to MLS Roster for 2026 Campaign and Beyond
HERRIMAN, Utah (Thursday, January 15, 2026) - Real Salt Lake announced today the signing of 2025 MLS SuperDraft First Round Pick Sergi Solans. The Claret-and-Cobalt obtained the rights to Spain native Solans in December, 2024, selecting him with the 30th overall pick after acquiring the selection from LA Galaxy for $50,000 GAM in a draft-day acquisition.
Solans has signed a guaranteed Major League Soccer contract through June, 2027, with additional Club options for the 2027-28 and 2028-29 MLS seasons.
“I’m quite grateful to Real Salt Lake for believing in me and giving me the opportunity to take my first steps in the professional game,” said Solans after completing his medical evaluations Wednesday, prior to his first training session with the Claret-and-Cobalt earlier today. “This club’s culture, ambition and standards make it a special place for me to grow every day. To the RSL fans, thank you for your passion and support, I am really excited to represent this badge and give everything for you.”
Solans, now 22, a Girona FC academy product, first crossed the pond in 2023, joining Oregon State University in pursuit of a collegiate career. In the Spaniard’s first season with the Beavers, Solans scored 12 goals while also notching two assists in 10 NCAA matches, including nine starts.
"We are thrilled to welcome Sergi to Utah following his standout college career," said RSL CSO Kurt Schmid. "His performances at UCLA and Oregon State demonstrated a consistent knack for finding the back of the net. As he begins his rookie year, We're excited to integrate him into our system."
Finishing the 2024 season as seventh-highest Division I goalscorer in the nation, Solans earned Third-Team All-America honors, West Coast Conference Offensive Player of the Year and United Soccer Coaches All-Region honors. One month after the conclusion of his NCAA season, Solans rounded out Real Salt Lake’s first-round 2025 MLS SuperDraft class, joining fellow Spain native Jesus Barea (Missouri State), along with GK Max Kerkvliet (UConn) and FW Linekar Rodrigues dos Santos (Marshall).
After being selected with the final pick of the first round, Solans returned to college, transferring to NCAA powerhouse UCLA for his sophomore season. Solans quickly burst onto the scene in Southern California, scoring 16 goals in the campaign, including 12 in a six-game span, leading the Bruins to a Big Ten Championship. Solans concluded his collegiate career by earning 2025 Big Ten Tournament Most Outstanding Player, 2025 All-Big Ten First Team and 2025 United Soccer Coaches - Second Team All-America honors.
Player Information
Name: Sergi Solans
Position: Forward
Height: 6’ 0”
Date of Birth: 26 February, 2003
Age: 22
Birthplace: Lleida, Spain
Citizenship: Spain
How Acquired: Selected in 2025 MLS SuperDraft (30th overall pick, acquired from LA Galaxy on Dec. 16, 2024)
In late November, RSL’s 2026 schedule was revealed, with the Club’s America First Field venue in Sandy slated to welcome global soccer icon Lionel Messi and Inter Miami CF to Utah for the first – and perhaps only – occasion on Wednesday, April 22, 2026. Join the 2026 RSL ticketing waitlist at www.RSL.com/tickets.
The Claret-and-Cobalt also released its complete 2026 preseason slate, various key dates during the celebratory 2026 FIFA World Cup year, and most importantly, the entire 34-game MLS regular season schedule (17 home games, 17 away in MLS), which features multiple international soccer legends who are expected to visit Sandy throughout 2026.
Top visiting athletes in addition to Messi and Co. expected to provide highly-anticipated moments include: Korean superstar Son Heung-min (Los Angeles Football Club, Sept. 5), German trophy king Thomas Müller(Vancouver Whitecaps FC, Sept. 19), beloved Mexican cult figure Chucky Lozano (San Diego FC, April 18) and another storied German star, Marco Reus (LA Galaxy, Nov. 7).
RSL’s complete 2026 regular season schedule is available at www.RSL.com.
Players, coaches and staff report this week ahead of the Club’s Jan. 12 preseason, which will feature 2026 preseason matches in Portugal and Southern California, as The Atlantic Cup tournament organizers and Coachella Valley schedule-makers solidified various slates.
Returning to Lagos, Portugal, where it had spent a portion of the 2024 preseason, Head Coach Pablo Mastroeni’s side will play three games over 13 days in the back half of January as part of the annual Atlantic Cup tourney, with the first two matches against legendary Danish sides Randers FC (Jan. 22) – once home to former RSL striker Yura Movsisyan – and Brøndby (Jan. 26), a side also connected to David Blitzer’s Global Football Holdings. RSL will conclude its Iberian peninsula experience against fellow MLS Western Conference foe FC Dallas (Jan. 30), before competing its 24-hour door-to-door travels, returning to Utah on Feb. 1
After spending the first week of February back in Utah, the Claret-and-Cobalt then wrap up its 22nd preseason slate with two games in Southern California, facing off against newly-transferred DF Kobi Henry’s former USL Championship side, Orange County SC (Feb. 7), as well as MLS Cup 2024 champions LA Galaxy (Feb. 13), the latter match being played outside of Palm Springs, Calif.
RSL then kicks off its 2026 Major League Soccer campaign on Sat., Feb. 21 at B.C. Place, home of the reigning Western Conference champion, Vancouver Whitecaps FC, one week prior to the Claret-and-Cobalt’s 2026 home opener at America First Field against long-time rival Seattle Sounders FC on Sat., Feb. 28. Both of RSL’s February games kick off at 5:30p MT, with season ticket and four-game packages available at www.RSL.com/tickets.
