Storylines | Newcomers Key to Late 2026 Playoff Push, Home Games Critical to Control of RSL Destiny

By Trey Fitz-Gerald

Despite a heartbreaking late concession in its last home match against San Jose that cost Real Salt Lake two vital points, the Claret-and-Cobalt rebounded with its first road win in a 13-match, seven-month span dating back to March 7. Saturday’s very professional, controlled and at times dominant 3-1 victory against Kansas City at Sporting Park has pushed the Utah side back against the nine-team MLS West playoff line entering the final four matches of the 2026 regular season. Now welcoming newly-minted Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup Champions St. Louis CITY SC to Sandy on Saturday, RSL will depend upon multiple new faces - Canadian World Cup centerback Luc de Fougerolles, first-year Designated Player Morgan Guilavogui and rookie sensation Sergi Solans, amongst others - to maximize points in the 12-point run-in and extend RSL’s perennially consistent playoff qualification runs. 

This edition of Storylines explores the roles of numerous RSL newcomers in 2026 - 17 debutants in this injury-riddled campaign, one that has seen nearly 200 games missed due to international duty, long-term injuries, suspensions or visa issues - as well as the return of RSL’s Sandy-based America First Field into a fortress, one desperately needed as the Claret-and-Cobalt remain one of seven West teams fighting for the final three seeds down the home stretch.

First-Ever Playoff Run for Numerous RSL Breakout Players

With RSL posting two wins and one draw against one loss in its last four games - the Club’s most successful four-game stretch since its early-August foray through Leagues Cup - RSL looks poised to peak at the right time, much like it did back in 2009, 2021, and a handful of other memorable MLS seasons. Despite the heartbreaking last-second draw to San Jose and a difficult result at Philadelphia, RSL has been lifted by the emergence of Luc de Fougerolles and Kobi Henry in the back, the consistent stability of Juan Manuel Sanabria and Stijn Spierings, and the re-emergence of rookie Sergi Solans, who now has a chance to rewrite the MLS record books for first-year players (needs five goals in final four games to match Orlando 2017 rookie Cyle Larin’s 17-goal total).

With the vaunted defensive resistance typically provided by 2024 MLS All-Star and RSL Academy Homegrown poster boy Justen Glad missing since late May due to adductor issues, along with former Captain Emeka Eneli missing much of the last 18 months primarily due to complications of a knee injury, others have been forced to step up in 2026, thrown into the MLS fire while learning the idiosyncrasies of a new game model.

With RSL switching to a back three for 2026, second-year youngster Kobi Henry - a standout Trinidadian international - has navigated his own injury-marred 2025 season to emerge as a tenacious competitor providing bite, guile, and even an occasional moment of attacking aplomb during the final third of this 2026 season. Henry has no doubt been emboldened by the presence of 21-year-old Canadian World Cup starter de Fougerolles, the Fulham loanee who stepped in immediately for the final 45 minutes at Philadelphia and set an aggressive, physical tone, one which shone through into his 70+ minutes as a starter on both sides of the ball in the draw against San Jose and the win at Kansas City.

Also using his World Cup experience from the summer to boost RSL’s late-season emergence is Uruguayan standout Juan Manuel Sanabria, a left-sided player asked to both defend opposite wingers and combine fruitfully with RSL’s attacking triumvirate. Sanabria leads RSL with nine assists this season, starting in 20 of the last 24 matches in which he was available. Many of the goals scored by rookie Solans and DP Morgan Guilavogui have come from sequences involving Sanabria, who scored his first-ever MLS goal in the late July match at Portland.

Guilavogui will forever be linked with another European newcomer, holding MF Spierings, in charting their RSL/MLS adventures during their 2026 debut seasons. Spierings has been a constant in the pivot next to Noel Caliskan, starting 22 of the last 23 matches when healthy. The Dutch-born veteran who most recently played in Denmark became the first-ever RSL substitute to score in his debut, providing the game-winning goal in the April comeback against Austin FC, next Wednesday’s road opponent.

RSL’s Playoff Probability Update

With just four MLS regular-season games remaining, every point is crucial for RSL as it looks to build upon Saturday’s road win in Kansas City, its success on Utah soil for the last season-and-a-half, and secure a spot in the 2026 playoffs. Following last week’s draw against San Jose and victory over Kansas City, the Claret-and-Cobalt now sit alone in 10th place, three points behind the ninth-seeded Colorado Rapids, who hold the final Wild Card spot. Should RSL run the table in its final four contests, it would likely vault all the way up to the seventh seed and face St. Louis - this weekend’s opponent at America First Field - in a best-of-three, first-round Audi MLS Cup Playoff series.

However, RSL must first hold serve at home, and improve upon the Club’s 11-4-4 (W-L-T) mark in Sandy this season, and its 19-7-6 (W-L-T) record on Utah soil since June 1 of last year. RSL travels to both Austin and San Jose next week prior to finishing the 2026 reg. Season with a “Decision Day” finale against LA Galaxy - one of the teams RSL is currently battling for Wild Card contention - on Saturday, November 7.

With a win Saturday against St. Louis - a team which had gone unbeaten in 21 consecutive matches, prior to blowing an early 2-0 lead at Minnesota last week, losing 3-2 prior to Wednesday' s Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup victory, a 5-3 shootout tiebreaker win after a scoreless 120 minutes. Statistics suggest the Utah side’s playoff chances are slim, but with 12 points still up for grabs, no one can rule out the Claret-and-Cobalt just yet, especially if RSL can hold serve at home and recapture last Saturday’s road glory in the trip to Austin/San Jose.

RSL’s playoff push continues against St. Louis CITY SC this Saturday, October 24, with kickoff set for 7:30 p.m. MT from America First Field. Tickets to the match - which could be RSL’s 17th sellout in the last 18 matches dating back to late 2025 - are available at www.RSL.com/tickets, and is available to stream on AppleTV.