By: Isabella Rubis
Major League Soccer returns for its 31st season this weekend with an action-packed schedule that will no doubt get fans excited for a landmark year for the sport in north America. The opening slate of MLS matches will spotlight the league’s busy offseason, as new signings make their debuts, revamped rosters take the field, and fresh tactical approaches begin to unfold.
Supporters will also be treated to several compelling head-to-head matchups that could set the tone for the months ahead. With every club eager to make an early statement, the first weekend promises intensity, drama, and a thrilling start to the 2026 campaign.
RSL boss Pablo Mastroeni and his men open the MLS season on the road at BC Place to take on the reigning Western Conference Champion Vancouver Whitecaps in what promises to be an intense battle throughout and to the final whistle. In the opening matchup, fans will get their first look at the team’s new 3-5-2 formation, a tactical shift designed to add more control in midfield while creating dynamic attacking options up top.
Tactical Shifts and Star Additions: What’s New This Season
The Claret-and-Cobalt head into its 22nd MLS season sporting a new tactical formation of 3-5-2. Utilizing a three-man backline, a five-player midfield and two strikers to dominate the center of the pitch and provide high-intensity pressing, the new formation offers tactical flexibility between attacking and defensive phases of play and will rely heavily on versatile wingbacks to cover the entire flank. The tactical decision by Mastroeni provides an ideal setup to control possession while enabling quick, direct, and vertical attacks.
Along with tactical development, Mastroeni has a handful of new talents acquired during the offseason that are sure to inject fresh energy into the squad and elevate the team’s performance on both sides of the ball.
Who you could see featured in the season opener:
RSL’s new Designated Player, FW Morgan Guilavogui, is an exciting addition to the Claret-and-Cobalt attack. His ability to consistently apply pressure on opposing defenses, create space, and generate scoring opportunities from multiple areas is exactly what the club needs after a season in which finding the back of the net proved challenging. RSL also bolstered its attack and midfield this offseason with the additions of Spaniard Sergi Solans and Utah native Zach Booth, while MF Griffin Dillon and Antonio Riquelme earned first-team contracts after making the jump from RSL’s MLS NEXT Pro side, Real Monarchs.
MF Luca Moisa is entering his second season on a first-team contract after spending most of the 2025 campaign with the Monarchs. This offseason, former Academy standout Moisa has made a strong impression with the first team, traveling with the squad to both Portugal and California, where he set up RSL’s first two goals, one against Orange County and one in the 3-3 draw against LA Galaxy.
Out on the left wing, Uruguayan D/M Juan Manuel Sanabria has been added to strengthen RSL’s 3-5-2 options on the left for 2026, while Danish veteran DF Lukas Engel joins the Claret-and-Cobalt following a successful loan spell with FC Cincinnati.
Additional new signings on the roster to look out for as RSL’s season continues:
Acquired on loan from Colombian powerhouse Atlético Nacional, defender Juan José Arias is expected to see significant time on the pitch and play an important role in the club’s new tactical setup. Joining him is two-way Dutch MF Stijn Spierings, who brings a wealth of experience from Danish Superliga side Brøndby IF.
With these offseason additions, RSL hasn’t just added depth, it also added difference makers. The blend of defensive grit and attacking firepower gives the squad the balance needed to be a brick wall at the back while also capitalizing on chances in front of the goal. If the new pieces click the way they’re capable of, the 2026 roster has the talent and work-ethic on both ends of the pitch to turn tight draws into wins and push the Claret-and-Cobalt into a competitive team fighting for the top of the standings.
Müller at the Heart of Vancouver’s Late-Season Surge
As we look ahead to this exciting season opener, it’s impossible not to reflect on the momentum the Whitecaps will undoubtedly be carrying over from last year’s campaign in which Vancouver surged to become Western Conference Champions before ultimately falling 3‑1 to Inter Miami CF in the MLS Cup Final on December 6, 2025.
That hot finish gives Vancouver plenty of momentum heading into the new season, and its confidence will be sky-high after last year’s run to the Western Conference title. The Whitecaps only strengthened its roster with the blockbuster August signing of powerhouse Thomas Müller, whose experience and world-class pedigree add another dangerous weapon for opponents to contend with.
Both of last season’s matchups between RSL and Vancouver took place before Müller joined the squad, making this season’s opening clash a fresh challenge. One of the world’s best, Müller joined Whitecaps FC in August 2025 after a storied 25-year career with German giants FC Bayern Munich. A winner of soccer’s most esteemed honor with Germany at the 2014 FIFA World Cup, Müller became only the 19th player in MLS history to play in the league and have a World Cup title to his name. He’s also one of the greatest goalscorers in the history of the World Cup, sitting as one of 15 players to have double-digit goals at the tournament with 10 goals to his name.
Müller’s lethal scoring touch wasted no time making an impact in MLS, tallying 7 goals and 3 assists in just 7 appearances with the Whitecaps, including a decisive playoff penalty in the 3‑0 first-round win over FC Dallas. Now that he’s in Vancouver, RSL faces a true test from the opening whistle. The defense will need to stand firm against a relentless attack, while the offense must stay sharp and capitalize on every chance if RSL hopes to start the season with a statement win.
Head-to-Head History: RSL and Vancouver
Real Salt Lake heads into its season opener with a storied history against its Canadian counterparts, having met four times since the first match in 2022. RSL will look to improve its overall record against the Whitecaps, which currently stands at 1-1-2 (W-T-L). During the 2025 campaign, the squad narrowly lost its first match in Canada on May 3rd, 2-1. Just three weeks later, the teams met again at America First Field on May 24, where RSL rising star Zavier Gozo netted his first-ever MLS goal, but the squad ultimately fell 3-2 in regulation.
Along with recent battles comes another important piece in understanding RSL’s history with Vancouver. After acquiring starlet Diego Luna on June 2, 2022, he made his MLS debut just two days later, appearing as a second-half substitute in the 2-1 loss to the Whitecaps that ultimately ended a three-game win streak for the Claret-and-Cobalt.
Since joining RSL at just 18 years old, Luna has been a key contributor to the team’s success and a rising star in both MLS and the USMNT competing for the United States across multiple competitions. His pace, creativity, and knack for finding the back of the net have made him a constant threat, and he has often been pivotal in high-stakes matchups, including games against the Whitecaps. His personal connection to Vancouver adds fuel to his individual fire to open up the 2026 campaign with a win.
As Real Salt Lake unveil a bold new formation and integrate its latest signings, the season opener offers an immediate measuring stick. Vancouver, riding the confidence and cohesion built last year, won’t make it easy, especially given the edge and intensity that have long defined meetings between Real Salt Lake and Vancouver Whitecaps FC. With tactical evolution on one side and hard-earned momentum on the other, this clash feels less like a curtain-raiser and more like an early statement game in the start of the MLS season.
The Claret-and-Cobalt will kickoff at BC Place at 5:30 PM MT on Saturday evening looking to start the season off with a bang. Fans can tune into the match with an AppleTV subscription that can be found here
Season ticket and four-game packages NOW AVAILABLE at www.RSL.com/tickets.
