By: Isabella RubisÂ
Under the bright Wasatch sky at America First Field, every season’s opening match has a way of feeling bigger than 90 minutes. As Real Salt Lake kick off its 2026 home slate against a Seattle Sounders FC side that has rarely found comfort at altitude, the Riot braces for another chapter in a rivalry that never quite lets the visitors breathe.Â
The Claret-and-Cobalt opened its 2026 MLS campaign with a hard fought 1-0 loss in Vancouver last Saturday that highlighted a plethora of young debutants and introduced a new tactical system that allowed the defense to be more of a brick wall with Captain and RSL goalkeeper Rafael Cabral at the helm. Although the score didn’t end up in favor of the visitors, there is much to look forward to heading into this week’s home opener.Â
In this week's edition of storylines we’ll take a look at the positives of Matchday 1 and look ahead to what is sure to be a compelling home battle as Real Salt Lake look to get key players into the match and earn its first victory of the 2026 season.Â
Season Opener Bright Spots and Key Returns to the XI
Before looking ahead to this week's matchup and history with Seattle, it is important to look back on the season opener in Vancouver last Saturday and take away the positives and pieces still to come to bring RSL up a level.Â
Multiple players made their MLS and RSL debuts on Saturday night, including 17-year-old Luca Moisa and rookie striker Sergi Solans acquired two Decembers ago in the 2025 MLS SuperDraft. Moisa did not let the pressure of his first professional game with the first team show, sending multiple perfect passes and assisting on a multitude of attacking and potential goal-scoring opportunities throughout the match. Along with Moisa, RSL fellow Academy products Aiden Hezarkhani and Zavier Gozo worked seamlessly with Moisa, showcasing the skill and chemistry the three have built having played together from young ages through all stages of the club.
RSL boss Pablo Mastroeni debuted a new 3-5-2 tactical setup that immediately had a positive effect on the match. With ability for players like Alex Katranis to move more freely into the attacking zone, scoring opportunities opened up, the most tangible being his assist to Australian striker Ari Piol which unfortunately was called back due to Katranis adjudged to have been in an off-side position. While goal scoring is paramount in winning games in the MLS, the moments of brilliance in the attacking third are cause for excitement for a team that struggled at times to get the ball in the back of the net during the 2025 season.
Real Salt Lake could have a few key reinforcements available this weekend. French-born striker Morgan Guilavogui is expected to be available, adding a new attacking option up front. Defender Lukas Engel, a former teammate of DeAndre Yedlin in Cincinnati, could be available off the bench to bolster the back line. Meanwhile, Solans is set to take the field again following his RSL debut in Vancouver.
Still to come is RSL’s Moon Man Diego Luna and Nigerian striker Victor Olatunji, who burst onto the MLS scene with multiple goals in his short 2025 season. While a handful of RSL players are still awaiting their 2026 MLS season debuts due to injury and visa procurement, the addition of a few is a positive heading into match day two.
Opening Night Energy: RSL’s Strong Starts and Seattle History
Real Salt Lake will close out the month of February with its home opener against the Seattle Sounders, renewing one of the Western Conference’s most competitive rivalries. The matchup between RSL and the Seattle Sounders has consistently delivered intensity and high stakes, and this weekend should be no different as both sides look to set the tone early in the 2026 campaign.
Historically, RSL has held its own in the series. In 45 all-time meetings, Real Salt Lake owns a 19-17-9 (W-L-T) record against Seattle, including a convincing 2-0 victory at home in last year’s home opener in March, 2025. That recent result only adds to the confidence heading into this year’s home opener. Seattle, meanwhile, has struggled when traveling to Utah, having not won a match on Utah soil since 2012, a streak RSL will aim to extend.
The home opener has long been a strength for the Claret-and-Cobalt. Since the club’s inaugural season, Real Salt Lake has built a formidable 9-2-9 (W-L-T) record in MLS home openers, securing a consistent home-field advantage. That tradition began on April 16, 2005, when RSL earned a 1-0 victory over the Colorado Rapids at Rice-Eccles Stadium. The club’s first-ever home match featured late-game drama, as Brian Dunseth powered home an 87th-minute header off a free kick from Clint Mathis to seal the historic win.
As RSL prepares to once again defend home turf, history suggests that opening day in Utah is never easy for visitors, especially Seattle.
The home opener is set to kick off at America First Field at 5:30 PM MT, as the Claret-and-Cobalt return home looking to start its 2026 campaign in front of a passionate crowd. Fans can expect an electric atmosphere to match the occasion. Tickets are available for purchase here.
