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By Brian Maurer Photo courtesy of CJ Hellner/TopBin90 As the Charlotte FC players and coaches prepare for their home opener on the field, the Crown's General Manager and Tepper Sports Entertainment (TSE) executives have been preparing for the 2026 campaign off of it, whether that is player recruitment, ticket sales, fan engagement, or preparing for a jampacked summer of soccer. There has been a lot of work done, with plenty more to go, but this weekend's match against Austin FC feels like a culmination of high expectations on and off the field. The club's expectations and goals have never been higher, while off-field changes are coming that have left some fans uneasy, questioning what the 2026 season will be like. The upper bowl will be closed for Charlotte's home opener for the first time in club history. The club's reasoning for this is the atmosphere that was created in two lower bowl games towards the end of 2025, one against Inter Miami and the club's playoff loss versus NYCFC. "We created a top-end Premier League atmosphere in that game against Inter Miami, and I'm hoping we are going to create two more in the next two games coming," said Charlotte FC General Manager Zoran Krneta. "We all commented, honestly, from the players, to the performance team, to the team manager, everybody was like 'wow!'" he said on how the club reacted to the Miami game atmosphere. Wilfried Zaha (left) and Rodrigo de Paul (Photo courtesy of CJ Hellner/TopBin90) While there has been continued discussion about ticket sales and season ticket member declines, the lower bowl is expected to be full for opening night. "If our normal walk-up crowd just showed today and we didn't sell another ticket from now until Saturday, we'd be sold out," said TSE Chief Revenue Officer Eric Sudol. The club released a new $26 price point for the lower bowl, which was announced alongside the decision to close the upper bowl. One of the main reasons for these changes was to amplify the stadium atmosphere consistently while also making games accessible to as many interested fans as possible. "The supporters are the heartbeat of this, the synergistic atmosphere, the sense of camaraderie, community, and belonging is the brand," said Sudol. The aim is to have a packed lower bowl for every home game to personify the brand of the club and the fanbase that follows them. "We are not stopping until we have the best atmosphere in all of sports," said Sudol. Sudol also discussed increasing the club's business-to-business partnerships as another opportunity for the club to sell tickets and establish relationships with more local businesses in the community. "Tell me another platform, at the price points that we have, to garner cultural interest in your company, employee morale, and productivity, every business in this region should have four club seats to Charlotte FC," stated Sudol. Charlotte's executives have definitely met some pushback from these changes, and they acknowledged as much when they met with the media during a roundtable session. "We were one of five teams in Major League Soccer that went up the rankings in valuation. The expectations are high, as they should be; if they weren't high, I wouldn't want to be here because I want to be a part of the best," Sudol stated. Rebuilding trust with the fanbase One concern Sudol and TSE CEO Kristi Coleman aim to address in 2026 is rebuilding the trust between the supporters and the club, which they acknowledged as being more distant than it should be. "Our supporters are our lifeblood," said Coleman. "I'll put it on myself, I need to be more visible, and I see that, I feel that, and listening to fans, listening to the supporters...I've learned that it's really important." Coleman also discussed the hiring of a new liaison, Fernando Varela, who will be the Manager of Grassroots Marketing and Fan Engagement. Varela's role will be as a connection between the supporters and the club, and he will be someone the supporters' groups should have consistent access to. "We have to rebuild those relationships, and it's being front-facing, it's being out...we will host certain events to make sure that we are all together, it's not just [Varela]...I think it should be a collective effort," said Coleman. Photo courtesy of CJ Hellner/TopBin90 Varela has experience working in MLS with LAFC and the Colorado Rapids, specifically with supporters groups. "I would say open, honest communication is really important. At the end of the day, supporter groups and the front offices have the same goal of building the sport and growing the club. From my perspective, soccer is like a religion to me, and I care so much about developing the game and really building it in a way that slowly solidifies its growth in the sense that like, it's here to stay, instead of just being a trend." said Varela on the key ingredients to the supporters/club relationship during his time working with the Rapids as their Fan Engagement Specialist. Mending the relationship with season ticket members A concern among season ticket members has been their ticket valuations, as well as access to STM perks such as All-Star Game ticket presales. Emails for different STM presales have been sent out notoriously at the last minute over the past year or two, and the recent All-Star Game presale was a recent example. The presale email went out 30 minutes before the start of the presale, according to multiple STMs. Another issue reported by STMs is a delay in receiving their yearly gifts from the club. "We've got to be proactive versus reactive...when we have slip-ups, or when we haven't listened historically well, or we need more infrastructure to make sure we are responding, trust me that hits me right to my core," said Sudol in response to these STM concerns. "We are going to get it right." Sudol continued by reiterating that one of his top concerns is making sure STMs feel they receive more value than their cost. "Season ticket member value is high, high, high on my list. Yes, we talk about new sales, we talk about the B2B thing, we talk about selling regionally. At the end of the day, your number one customer is the one you already have, and so retention around that, and ensuring that price and value, where value exceeds price, is huge on my list." The 2026 World Cup's impact on Charlotte FC Not only does Charlotte FC have high expectations for the 2026 season, but all of North American soccer does with the 2026 World Cup being less than 100 days away. Charlotte will be the basecamp for the Scottish National Team as they prepare for their first World Cup since 1998. "The media is huge in Scotland...they'll be talking about Charlotte, and they'll be talking about Scotland here in Charlotte," stated Coleman. "It puts Charlotte on a global scale." Coleman also spoke about how impressed Scotland's delegates were with the facilities, as they were one of the primary reasons they chose the Carolinas as their home base. "They loved the facility, and they loved the weather," said Coleman. Having Scotland here will also be an asset from a player recruitment side, as players from very high-profile leagues will be living in Charlotte and using the facilities for several weeks, giving those players a first-hand account of what it would be like playing and living in the Carolinas. "We do have good connections in Premier League, in Championship, in Scottish League, so for us it's one of the leagues that we are really interested in trying to source the players, it's the perfect moment to show ourselves and the city," said Krneta. "I was really happy when we got Scotland." Scotland's National Team qualifying for the World Cup (Photo courtesy of PA Media) Krneta said that if Charlotte were hosting a country like Brazil, it would have been more difficult from a recruiting perspective because players on the higher-echelon national teams would not be making an immediate jump to MLS. With a team like Scotland, some players could, and since the Crown already has well-established connections throughout Scotland and England, there should be ample opportunity for more connections to flourish. There have also been some questions about some host cities not being able to host their scheduled World Cup games, but Charlotte would not be an option as a backup host site. "We would not be able to be a backup host city," said Coleman. Bank of America Stadium has concerts running through the summer, and the logistical challenges of a last-minute change, even if there was an opening in the summer schedule, might have been too difficult to manage. Hosting World Cup games would also require city approval. Post-World Cup and the new summer transfer window This season is going to be a new experience for all MLS clubs, as players are required to have 18 days off during the WC break, and several players around the league could require more time depending on how far their national team goes. "After that, it's a mini-preseason...it's a little bit novel for all of us," said Krneta. The summer window will be another interesting wrinkle as it will line up with the summer window across all the top leagues around the world. "It's going to be an interesting window...this window when it stops...we'll have 19 games, so there will be a much bigger impact on the team and performance potentially for the incoming players in the summer...we will be busy in the summer," said Krneta. This summer window will be the new standard as the MLS calendar shifts to a fall-to-spring schedule in 2027. "The schedule change is going to be huge, for [Krneta]'s sake, for transfer windows, but then also pulling in eyeballs in May for playoffs at our biggest time, instead of competing with football and other sports at that point, college in particular, I think that's huge. Then, also, the Apple deal is a step in the right direction to take a paywall off," said Coleman. "We have all been in favor of the changes that have been made so far." There are a lot of expectations riding on this season, this summer, and the new calendar shift in 2027. All Charlotte FC fans' eyes will be on the team's performance this Saturday, but those eyes will shift to the front office and executives if they feel like the high expectations of the gameday experience and team results aren't met, making this year feel like a crucible moment in the longevity phase of the Crown.

By Rylee McKinney Wilfried Zaha vs St. Louis City (Photo courtesy of CJ Hellner/TopBin90) Charlotte FC kicks off its first home match of the season this Saturday against Austin FC. This Eastern/Western Conference clash comes after a rough Matchday two for Charlotte as they suffered a 3-0 loss on the road against the LA Galaxy. So far this season, Austin and Charlotte have each had one draw, yet Austin took home its first win last weekend with a 1-0 defeat over DC United.  The last time Charlotte faced off against Austin FC was back in July of 2024, resulting in a 2-2 draw. Charlotte was under head coach Dean Smith in his first year with the club. Smith led The Crown to a 5th-place finish in the Eastern Conference and shaped the lineup as we know it today.  During the 2024 season, Austin FC finished 10th in the Western Conference. Leading them at the time was head coach Nico Estévez, who replaced Josh Wolff. Under Wolff, Austin FC failed to qualify for the playoffs for the second consecutive year, prompting his replacement heading into the 2024 season. So, this Saturday’s match will be a head-to-head with the same management for both teams.  Both rosters have made significant changes since that 2-2 result. From the end of 2024 to early 2026, Austin FC underwent a significant roster overhaul, highlighted by the signing of Designated Player Facundo Torres, the departure of veteran Julio Cascante, and the trading of goalkeeper Stefan Cleveland. Despite all the changes, Irish defender Jon Gallagher has been a constant for Austin’s lineup since 2021. As for Charlotte FC, the departures of Karol Świderski in early 2025 and Patrick Agyemang in late 2025 left their offensive line short-handed. To fill this gap, Charlotte FC announced the signing of former Crystal Palace legend Wilfried Zaha. In his first season with Charlotte FC, Zaha recorded ten goals and five assists during regular-season play. Zaha’s explosive 2025 season helped the team to its 4th-place finish in the Eastern Conference.  Wilfried Zaha - Charlotte FC - Left winger To say Zaha made waves for Charlotte last season would be an understatement. His flair-driven attacking style created chances in tight one-on-one situations. Most importantly, according to Sports Illustrated writer Ben Steiner, Zaha was the most fouled player last season, suffering a total of 125 fouls. Essentially, Zaha’s oppositional targeting and ability to draw fouls created key opportunities for the club.  Despite a rollercoaster of a 2025 season for Charlotte, Zaha’s efforts salvaged Charlotte’s slipping down the rankings. With 8.47 xG, 5.06 xA, and 39 chances created last season, Zaha will pose a significant threat for Charlotte once more. His direct dribbling style and play-creator mentality should be a challenge for Austin’s backline. Jon Gallagher - Austin FC - Right back A staple of Austin FC’s lineup is veteran defender Jon Gallagher. Drafted 14th overall from the University of Notre Dame in 2018, Gallagher first signed on with Atlanta United. In just 16 appearances, Gallagher scored 4 goals for Atlanta. Then, in December of 2020, Gallagher was traded to Austin FC in exchange for $225,00 GAM ahead of Austin’s inaugural season in 2021.  Under Austin FC, Gallagher transitioned from a winger to a right-back, becoming a regular for the squad. Despite his defensive shift, he is a consistent goal threat. Gallagher has since contributed 14 goals and 11 assists during the 2021-2025 regular seasons. By 2023, Gallagher signed a four-year deal with Austin FC, securing his place with his extreme versatility. Gallagher ultimately brings significant intensity and reliability to the Verde and Black. His veteran experience and unique attacking presence could prove to be a difficult task to handle for Charlotte FC. Summary Zaha and Gallagher will be the clash to watch this week. Each player’s unique abilities will create tension on the wing but also balance out both sides. Most likely, Gallagher will have to sit more defensively this week to closely monitor Zaha’s attack. Yet Zaha will have to fall back and take on any offensive efforts from Gallagher.  Most importantly, Zaha will need to keep his composure this week to avoid picking up any penalties or cards. Without Zaha’s aggressive style on offense, Charlotte might leave a gap for Gallagher to demonstrate his winger abilities.

By Billy McGee - @iambillymcgee With the World Cup coming to the United States this summer, three competing nations have opted to have their base camps in North Carolina. Scotland, hosted by Charlotte FC, Germany training at Wake Forest University in Winston-Salem, and Norway make UNC Greensboro their home for the tournament. With the three national teams come some of the best players in the world. Here’s a look at the best XI of the teams that will be calling North Carolina home this summer: Goalkeeper: Manuel Neuer Despite an underwhelming season so far by his standards, Neuer earns the nod as the best goalkeeper due to a lack of other top options. The 39-year-old German keeper is one of the most decorated goalkeepers in the sport’s history, having won a pair of Champions League titles (2012, 2020) with Bayern Munich, 11 consecutive Bundesliga titles from the 2012/13 season through the 2022/23 season as well as the 2014 World Cup, and was named the Best FIFA Men’s Goalkeeper in 2020. Center back: Antonio Rüdiger The first of a back three, Rüdiger has been one of the best center halves of the 2020s, winning the Champions League with Chelsea in 2021 and Real Madrid in 2024. Alongside the Champions League win in 2024, he also won La Liga and was named to the FIFA Best XI. The 33-year-old German defender has been limited during the 2025/26 season with a pair of injuries that have kept him out for the majority of the season up to this point, but he is back in the lineup now. Center back: Jonathan Tah Tah is the second center back in the team. The 30-year-old has made a name for himself in the Bundesliga over the past decade, making 275 starts across 10 years for Bayer Leverkusen, including being a part of their historic unbeaten season in 2023/24 that saw them lift their first ever Bundesliga title, before making the move to Bayern Munich this season where he is favored to become a two time league champion. Center back: Nico Schlotterbeck Rounding out an all-German defense is Borussia Dortmund center back, Nico Schlotterbeck. The 26-year-old has proven himself to be a high-level center back, making the Bundesliga Team of the Season in 2021/22, 2022/23, and 2024/25 and helping his club to reach the Champions League Final in 2024. He has also shown a knack for getting involved in goals as a central defender, having notched five or more Bundesliga goal contributions in three of the last five seasons. Defensive midfielder: Joshua Kimmich Continuing the theme of German players in the squad, Joshua Kimmich slots in as half of a double pivot. The 31-year-old is the captain of the German National Team and can play as a defensive midfielder or as a right back. Since joining Bayern Munich at 20 years old in the 2015/16 season, Kimmich has been a part of nine Bundesliga-winning sides as well as a Champions League-winning side in 2020. Along with winning the Champions League title, he was named to the UEFA Team of the Season and the FIFA Best XI. In the 2026 World Cup Qualifiers, he scored a pair of goals and assisted another in five appearances. Defensive midfielder: Scott McTominay The first non-German on the team is Scottish midfielder Scott McTominay. McTominay made his first-team debut with Manchester United in 2017 and played for them until 2024 before making the move to Italy to join Napoli. In his first season with Napoli, he helped lead them to a Serie A championship and was named the Serie A Footballer of the Year with 12 goals and four assists. McTominay kicked off the scoring in Scotland’s 4-2 win over Denmark that earned them their first World Cup appearance since 1998. Right midfielder: Martin Ødegaard The first Norwegian in the squad is midfielder Martin Ødegaard. The 27-year-old is one of the best chance creators in Europe. He has been in the spotlight since he was a teenager, becoming the youngest player to play for Norway’s senior national team at 15 years and 253 days and joining Real Madrid at 16 years old. Ødegaard played for their second team and went on a series of loans before joining Arsenal on a permanent deal in 2021. Ødegaard has served as Arsenal's captain for much of his time with the club, including a 15-goal, 7-assist campaign in the 2022/23 season. In Norway’s 2026 World Cup Qualifying, he tallied seven assists across five games, helping them qualify for the first time since 1998. Attacking midfielder: Jamal Musiala In the middle of the attack is one of the best attacking midfielders in the world. The 23-year-old has contributed 47 league goals and 25 league assists in 145 appearances for Bayern Munich since breaking through into the first team at age 17 in the 2020/21 season. Musiala has been limited to just nine appearances across all competitions for Bayern Munich this season after suffering a gruesome leg fracture and ankle dislocation in the 2025 Club World Cup. He is yet to make a start since returning from injury, but is set to make his national team return for Germany in the March international break. Left midfielder: Florian Wirtz Wirtz is Musiala’s running mate as a creative force in the German attack. The 22-year-old made his first team debut with Bayer Leverkusen in the 2019/20 season and became the youngest goalscorer in Bundesliga history at 17 years and 34 days, a record that has since been broken. He broke through with 17 Bundesliga goal contributions in his age 18 season and strung together a pair of double-digit goal and double-digit assist seasons before a big-money move to join Liverpool last summer. Wirtz has notched eight goals and eight assists in 37 appearances for the German National Team. Striker: Alexander Sørloth The first of a striker duo is Norway’s Alexander Sørloth. He currently plays for Atlético Madrid, where he has scored nine La Liga goals. Sørloth has reached 20 league goals in each of his last two seasons for Villarreal in 2023/24 and Atléti in 2024/25. Playing for the Norwegian National Team, he has notched 27 goals in 68 appearances, including a brace against Estonia in the 2026 World Cup Qualifiers. Striker: Erling Haaland The most prolific goalscorer in the world, Erling Haaland, has amassed a legendary resume at just 25 years old. Haaland joined Manchester City for the 2022/23 season after a successful three-year stint with Borussia Dortmund, where he scored 62 Bundesliga goals in 67 appearances. In his first season with Man City, he broke the Premier League goal record with 36 goals, helped them win a treble, winning the Premier League, FA Cup, and Manchester City’s first Champions League title. He has tallied 200 league goals in his career across 246 matches for four different clubs. At the international level, he has 55 goals in 48 appearances, including 16 goals in eight World Cup Qualifying matches to help Norway reach the game’s biggest stage for the first time in 28 years.

By Brian Maurer Luca de la Torre (Photo courtesy of CJ Hellner/TopBin90) Charlotte FC had an early collapse against the LA Galaxy that they couldn't recover from. They dug themselves a hole by giving up three goals in five minutes out of the gate, and it was too deep for them to find a way back into the game. The goals were all in part due to self-inflicted errors from turnovers in the middle third or their own half, a trend that continued from their opener in St. Louis. It was one of the main points Charlotte's Head Coach Dean Smith spoke about in the post-match press conference. There was also a clear lack of ideas in the attacking third. The Crown will look to right the ship during its upcoming five-game home stretch, which starts this weekend against Austin FC. Here is our stock up, stock down after the recent loss: Stock Up Brandt Bronico - The local man got his chance to feature as a halftime substitute, and while the Crown didn't improve substantially in the final third, Brandt Bronico's presence was able to help stop the bleeding. He provided some stability by limiting errors in the middle of the field. An argument can be made that the LA Galaxy were already comfortably ahead, but it still needs to be said that Bronico was taken out of the starting XI in hopes that other midfielders would add a new dynamic to how Charlotte can play with the ball. That evolution has not materialized, which makes your industrious players like the Mayor seem far more likely to have a larger role sooner rather than later. Morrison Agyemang - The young prospect was brought on to replace a struggling Andrew Privett, and he had a good showing for 45 minutes. There were still questionable moments, particularly when Morrison Agyemang got turned by Joseph Paintsil and received a booking, but all in all, he demonstrated that he can hang in MLS after signing with Crown Legacy FC last summer. He seems to have built a good case to be given a shot in the starting XI during this upcoming home stretch. The floor-raising players - A lot of the preseason discussion was whether the Crown could evolve as a squad by improving their ability to control games with their possession. This required Smith to make lineup adjustments to get more ball progressors and risk takers into the starting lineup. So far, that evolution has been met with severe growing pains to start the 2026 campaign. This development highlights the value of balancing your floor-raisers (like Bronico, Agyemang, Djibril Diani, and Kerwin Vargas) with your ceiling-raisers. There is no point in raising the ceiling if it's built on a weak foundation, and the first two weeks have highlighted that weakness. Stock Down Luca de la Torre and the ball progression evolution - Luca de la Torre was tasked with coming in and being a key part of Charlotte FC's evolution with the ball. So far through two games, the midfield has not clicked and has struggled to establish any control with or without possession. The easiest way to highlight the lack of impact de la Torre has had in his short tenure is the lack of progressive actions. According to American Soccer Analysis, the midfielder has made four total progressive actions in two games. These actions are one of his greatest strengths and a key reason why he was signed. These numbers will need to improve for Charlotte to make an evolution through their 2026 campaign. It's also not a good sign that Smith subbed him out at halftime. De la Torre's progressive actions and carries through Charlotte FC's first two games (American Soccer Analysis) Dean Smith's Western Conference road form - Smith is now winless through eight games traveling to Western Conference opponents (0-4-4, GD -7). These are teams that the club does not play often or travel to consistently. Given the extra hours in the air its also no surprise these games have been a bit trickier. This season, Eastern Conference teams are winless against WC opponents through two weeks (0-4-10). At the same time, this is still one monkey Smith would likely prefer to get off his back, especially with how stark Charlotte's home form has been compared to their away form. Charlotte will have one more chance at the WC road game against the Portland Timbers on October 24. The ceiling-raising players - Charlotte FC has players who have been brought in to help raise the level this club can reach across all lines. Players like Tim Ream and Harry Toffolo on defense, de la Torre and Ashley Westwood in the midfield, and Pep Biel, Wilfried Zaha, and Idan Toklomati in the front. These are some of, if not the highest-paid, players on the roster and were brought in to help raise the heights that the Crown can reach. However, most of the ceiling-raising actions this year have been from Kristijan Kahlina saves, and one good connection from Biel and Zaha against St. Louis. This push for more from the ceiling raisers has come at the cost of the floor. More floor-raising players could be in line for minutes to help stabilize the issues the Crown has been facing by trying to be the protagonist in games.

By Brian Maurer Photo courtesy of Maciek Gudrymowicz/ISI Photos While we struggled through Charlotte FC's 3-0 defeat late night on Saturday, several other moments and teams around MLS caught my eye that are worth highlighting as the stories begin to build and the 2026 season takes shape. Here are the top three stories from Saturday's Game Week 2 in MLS: Michael Bradley's Red Bull New York Youngsters Red Bull New York Head Coach Michael Bradley has hit the ground running in his debut MLS season at the helm. He made an immediate impression last week when he started three teenagers, including 16-year-old Adri Mehmeti, and earned three points on the road. This week, Bradley started nine US players and kept his young core together, who combined for the game-winner. Through the first two weeks, RBNY has an unexpected lead at the top of the Eastern Conference. Timo Werner debuts for San Jose Earthquakes The German forward made his MLS debut tonight, coming on in the 61st minute and contributed to San Jose's second goal. San Jose had an easy stretch to start their 2026 campaign, but keeping two clean sheets to start the year, given their 63 goals against last year. Two home wins, two clean sheets, and their new star signing making his debut with an assist is just about as perfect a start as Quakes fans could ask for. LAFC's possession evolution LAFC hired Marc Dos Santos to help evolve the way the club plays, and early signs show that this group can now control games with strong possession play, not just in transition as they had done for years. Of course, the two red cards against Houston help the possession stats, but LAFC was already at 65% possession through the first half before going up a man. The Black and Gold have five different goal scorers, and none of them is named Heung-Min Son. The group is finding multiple ways play and multiple players to score. While the primary focus through the winter was on the super team Inter Miami was building, the depth and dynamism displayed by LAFC through the first couple of weeks highlight that there may be another super team being built in MLS in 2026.

By Brian Maurer Photo courtesy of CJ Hellner/TopBin90 Charlotte FC travels to the Western Conference for the second straight week to open the 2026 campaign, and after structural struggles in a 1-1 draw last week against St. Louis City, Dean Smith's starting lineup could start to see changes soon if the current group isn't able to flip the switch and show improvement. Here is our predicted starting XI for the Crown's Week 2 matchup against the LA Galaxy: Defensive unit Kristijan Kahlina earned a spot on the MLS TOTW for his 10-save performance in Week 1, so his position is one of the most secure on the team at the moment. Tyler Miller will remain as the veteran backup GK. From left to right, the same backline is expected: Harry Toffolo, Tim Ream, Andrew Privett, and Nathan Byrne, especially with Henry Kessler still out. While many fans and media have pointed to the backline's struggles, within the team, it seems like the structure further up the field is of greater concern. David Schnegg, Jack Neeley, and Morrison Agyemang were the defensive options off the bench last week, and that same group is expected again in Week 2. Schnegg is the most likely of the three to be pushing for more minutes. Midfield line The midfield line could be where changes happen if the team doesn't start improving as a group. Currently, Ashley Westwood and Luca de la Torre are still the expected double pivot, but Smith will be willing to take other directions if he feels the need. Pep Biel is locked into the attacking midfield role ahead of them. Djibril Diani was the only midfielder used in Week 1 and looks like the early frontrunner for an expanded role. Brandt Bronico is the other midfield option off the bench, as Baye Coulibaly was left off the squad entirely last week. Forward line The front three are expected to remain the same, with Wilfried Zaha occupying the left wing, Idan Toklomati starting up top, and Liel Abada covering the right. Kerwin Vargas did get a 20-minute shift and is likely the frontrunner among the backup attackers to get starting minutes. Tyger Smalls was used off the bench this past week, and Archie Goodwin will be another substitute attacking option. Predicted Starting XI

By Jorge Gonzales Photo courtesy of CJ Hellner/TopBin90 According to journalist Pipe Sierra, Kerwin Vargas is attracting growing interest from some of South America’s biggest clubs . Argentine giants Boca Juniors are closely monitoring the situation, while Brazilian sides São Paulo and Athletico Paranaense have also emerged as potential suitors. Sierra reports that Charlotte FC has placed a valuation of $5 million on the Colombian forward, signaling they are open to negotiations but unwilling to let him go cheaply. A source close to the situation adds that a move during the current transfer window isn't ruled out as interest continues to build and conversations with clubs have begun. Charlotte FC will need to see an offer come in close to their valuation because they still have Vargas under contract through 2027 with an option extending into 2028. Vargas is coming off a solid 2025 campaign in which he featured in 41 matches across all competitions, contributing 8 goals and 4 assists.

By Brian Maurer Conrad Wallem (left) and Wilfried Zaha battling last weekend (Photo courtesy of CJ Hellner/TopBin90) Charlotte FC is getting set for its second Western Conference roadtrip in as many games. While on paper, the Crown and its fans should feel confident that points are there for the taking against the LA Galaxy, these cross-conference trips have been anything but easy throughout Charlotte's history. Through 14 Western Conference road games in league play, Charlotte is 2-5-7 all-time with a -12 goal differential. Dean Smith has yet to earn a road win against a WC team (0-4-3, -4 GD). The WC trip isn't just tricky for the Crown, though. On opening weekend, seven Eastern Conference teams traveled to the WC, and Charlotte was one of only two that came away with a point (0-2-5, -11 GD). This should make fans feel better about Charlotte;s draw earned last week against St. Louis, even if it wasn't their strongest showing. It also seems to be difficult for WC teams to make the trip East as Charlotte is 4-1-1 with a +6 GD at home against the West under Smith, which is slightly higher than his very strong 2.12 ppg home average in the past two years. Given how hard it was last week for the East, and how much Smith's squad has struggled making these types of trips, this game looms a bit larger and more difficult than what one might have previously anticipated. They should still feel the points are there for them, but clearly, traveling West is a major variable to overcome this weekend.

By Brian Maurer Photo courtesy of CJ Hellner/TopBin90 With the announcement that Charlotte FC plans to close the upper bowl this season, the team will introduce a new $26 price point for select lower bowl tickets, available for every MLS and Leagues Cup home match in 2026. These tickets will be available starting this morning at 9 AM ET and will be available any time for any home game moving forward throughout the year. "2026 is the biggest year of the world's sport in this country and on this continent...that really is one of the genesis of how we celebrate that moment, to create accessibility on a consistent basis for those that want to come...all while listening and addressing the fact that we are closing the upper bowl," said Tepper Sports & Entertainment (TSE) Chief Revenue Officer Eric Sudol. There will be a few hundred tickets sold at this price point each game, including the home opener against Austin FC, and the following weekend against Lionel Messi and Inter Miami. The number of seats will vary depending on the opponent. The tickets at this price point will be available in stadium sections where season tickets typically have not been sold. The aim is to be a complementary option, not a competitive one, to the rest of the ticket packages sold by the club. There are several goals Charlotte FC looks to achieve by having this new price point: Providing an accessible ticket price to fans for every single home match, not just the home opener, that is available at anytime online. Enhancing the environment of the lower bowl experience throughout the season by ensuring the bowl is filled closer to capacity. Maintaining ticket package valuations by spreading out the number of tickets available from one expanded home opener ticket release to a comparable number throughout the course of the season. The closing of the upper bowl has been one of the many discussions that fans and media alike have had. The concern around accessibility to Charlotte FC and high-level professional soccer games has been the heart of these discussions. That concern is, has been, and will continue to be valid. There was a visible concern with how the atmosphere looked at games in 2025 with the upper bowl open, as fans spread out across both the lower and upper bowl at Bank of America Stadium, diluting the fan experience. "When closing the upper bowl, obviously, part of that was atmosphere...you come to that Miami match [in 2025], you come to that third playoff match...there's social hype and buzz around that's differentiating and synergistic, that shared emotional connectivity, that sports in general offers, but Charlotte FC does to another level," said Sudol. "It's our responsibility to ensure people have that, and then by doing this, ensuring that atmosphere continues to prosper," he continued. Based on the direction of ticket sales year-over-year since Charlotte's inaugural season in 2022, the honeymoon phase is clearly over. Sudol and TSE CEO Kristi Coleman inherited the ending of that phase and are responsible for spearheading the next: longevity. They have honed in on the atmosphere of the lower bowl as a clear point of emphasis, which is where this new $26 lower bowl price point and upper bowl closure stems from. These are two of the first major moves this newly hired executive team has released that fans will directly associate with them and their time at the head of Charlotte FC. If this approach leads to a consistent 30k+ crowd and a vibrant lower bowl atmosphere game-to-game, then it should be said that they could well be on the right track with this new direction.

By Rylee McKinney Luca de la Torre on Matchday 1 (photo courtesy of CJ Hellner/TopBin90) Matchday two is on the horizon for Charlotte FC as they take on LA Galaxy this Saturday on the road. After a 1-1 draw for Charlotte and a 1-1 draw for Los Angeles last week, this matchup will potentially send one team home with their first loss of the season. The last time the Crown met LA Galaxy was in 2024, ending in a 0-0 draw after 90 minutes.  Since then, both teams have made significant lineup changes, but management has remained steady. Back in 2024, Charlotte’s head coach, Dean Smith, entered his first season with the squad. Ending in 5th place in the Eastern Conference, Smith launched Charlotte into the pool of top-contending teams.  Meanwhile, the LA Galaxy had a difficult season in 2023, finishing 13th in the Western Conference. However, by 2024, head coach Greg Vanney had turned the LA Galaxy into a 2nd-place team. That season, the LA Galaxy went on a 19-game winning streak, ultimately taking home the 2024 MLS Cup.  Heading into 2026, both teams made significant offseason signings. Charlotte FC brought on midfielder Luca de La Torre, while LA Galaxy welcomed defensive midfielder Justin Haak. Last season, Charlotte’s midfield was quite crowded with Pep Biel, Brandt Bronico, Ashley Westwood, Djibril Diani, and Eryk Williamson fighting for minutes. Biel’s season-ending hamstring injury granted significant minutes to Diani. However, Biel’s return and Williamson’s departure created some slight wiggle room for Charlotte in the midfield. De la Torre’s contract was announced on December 30, adding more depth once again to the midfield. As for the LA Galaxy, after conceding 66 goals last season, they desperately needed some defensive reinforcements. Haak signed with Galaxy in late December, hoping to provide the club with some versatility and depth.  Justin Haak - LA Galaxy - Defensive Midfielder Previously with New York City FC from 2019 to 2025, Haak made a total of 111 appearances across all competitions with the Pigeons. Haak’s time with NYCFC resulted in three goals and five assists. Last season alone, Haak had 1.18 xG and 2.36 xA. Last week, Haak started in the right center midfield position against his former club, clearly getting adjusted to his new team.  Haak’s conservative presence left some serious defensive gaps for the LA Galaxy in transitional play against NYCFC. With time, Haak might find more comfort in his new role. Supporting players like Joao Klauss and captain Marco Reus might just help Haak shine with Galaxy moving forward.  Luca de la Torre - Charlotte FC - Midfielder Charlotte’s shiny new signing is de la Torre, a former San Diego FC and current United States National Team player. De la Torre spent one season on loan with San Diego FC, making 30 appearances. Across all competitions, de la Torre scored five goals and recorded two assists, resulting in a 2.18 xG and a 1.97 xA.  Having more experience under his belt, de la Torre should have a slight upper hand over Haak. However, both players are new to their teams this season and have some major adjustments to make. Most importantly, de la Torre needs to show that he can help Charlotte evolve their style of play in possession. Summary Both Haak and de la Torre are just getting started for their respective clubs. Their new squads and veteran experience will showcase who can simply adjust the fastest. National team experience might just be the tipping point for de la Torre, but both players have put in the minutes.  LA Galaxy’s dependency on Haak to fall back and support as a defensive midfielder might also tip the scales in de la Torre’s favor. After all, de la Torre does have experienced Charlotte players Ashley Westwood and Pep Biel around him.  Stats from FotMob

By Brian Maurer Photo courtesy of CJ Hellner/TopBin90 U-22 Initiative striker Idan Toklomati (21) had a breakout season in 2025 after he took over for Patrick Agyemang, who was transferred to Derby County last summer. The Israeli striker led Charlotte FC with 13 goals in all competitions last year and has now switched to the coveted nine kit for 2026. With wearing the number nine comes a new level of responsibility and expectation. It's been a topic of discussion across Charlotte's fan base and media, as well as among national pundits. What is the expected rise of this young attacker this season? David Gass of Soccerwise asked TopBin90's  Jorge Gonzales to go over/under 14.5 goals for Toklomati in 2026, and Gonzales responded that this was a good line for him and stated 15 was a good number for the young Israeli in 2026. Here are some reasons why the expectations for Toklomati keep going up: Making the 22 under 22 list in 2025 Toklomati was ranked third on the MLS 22 under 22 list at the end of 2025. Obed Vargas and Alex Freeman were ranked number one and two, respectively. Both Vargas and Freeman got moves to La Liga this winter, with Vargas getting his dream move to European powerhouse Atletico Madrid. If those recent transfers are any indication, the expectations are sky high for Toklomati to hit another level this season based on the young players he is getting ranked alongside. Toklomati is surrounded by top talent Charlotte FC has signed several key players in positions around Toklomati, which should set him up for success. Wilfried Zaha, to his left, is a multi-million dollar veteran Designated Player (DP) winger who has played at the highest level of the game. Pep Biel had over 20 goal contributions even when his season was cut short by injury in 2025. Liel Abada, to his right, is a club-record signing with high expectations to bring goals and assists. Kerwin Vargas has competed for Abada's minutes and has proven that he can push towards TAM-level as a winger. Luca de la Torre was brought in to help progress the ball forwards to Toklomati and the Crown's attack, and is likely on close to a max-TAM salary. Needless to say, there has been a bunch of money spent, and strong technical, experienced talent surrounding Toklomati, which should give him every reason to succeed. In some ways, the Israeli striker's situation feels similar to that of Dejan Joveljic in 2024. The Serbian was a U-22 Initiative striker for the LA Galaxy at the time and was surrounded by really strong players. Riqui Puig, one of the most talented players in MLS, especially during the 2024 season. The Galaxy also spent big during that winter to bring in wingers Gabriel Pec and Joseph Paintsil, who both contributed over 20 goals in their 2024 campaigns. All of these surrounding pieces helped Joveljic have a career year that season with 27 goal contributions (21g/6a), including the MLS Cup Final game winner. The success of that season led the Serbian to earn a DP contract with Sporting Kansas City. With the pieces surrounding Toklomati and his rising potential, high expectations similar to this level are being set. The same level of goalscoring volume may not be necessary, but consistent goal contributions and being able to show up in key moments with the ability to find a winner is going to be a big part of the expectations for Toklomati in 2026. This is, in large part, because the pieces around him should be able to set him up to have those moments. Just like Puig, Pec, and Painstil did for Joveljic. He is in as good a position to succeed as any player on the 2025 22 under 22 list The two players above Toklomati on the 22 under 22 list last year have both moved on to La Liga, while the seven players below him in the top 10 of that list are all still in MLS this season. Those seven players are Owen Wolff, David Martinez, Quinn Sullivan, Peyton Miller, Nathan Ordaz, Luca Bombino, and Zavier Gozo. Of this group with top young players, Toklomati's situation is set up to be as good as anyone's to succeed this year. He is on a good team with a high floor (50+ points per year with Dean Smith as coach), with quality veteran players all around him who can help him grow, and a clear pathway to weekly minutes as he is the declared starting striker. Given those factors, Toklomati stands out as having one of the best situations of any U-22 player in MLS to hit another peak level in 2026. Martinez and Ordaz for LAFC, and Bombino for San Diego, all stand out as players in similarly good situations. Those players don't have the luxury or potential of being the top goal scorer on their teams this season. Something Toklomati has already accomplished in Charlotte. The floor was set in 2025 with a breakout campaign Diving deeper on Toklomati as Charlotte FC's goalscoring leader in 2025, this is as clear a floor as any that can be found on paper for the young striker. The 21-year-old had 15 goal contributions (12g/3a) in just over 2000 MLS minutes last season, leading the Crown in goals. It's safe to say this is now the established floor of what is expected from the young prospect, and his pathway to more minutes has been cleared. 2026 will be about Toklomati showing MLS what his ceiling can be. Connection with Biel Biel was Charlotte FC's main facilitator last season as he set a club record with 11 assists in 2025. According to Transfermarkt , Toklomati and Biel have combined for three goals in 1,057 minutes playing together (including last weekend's game). This season, that connection in the final third will be one of the key factors for Toklomati raising his ceiling. So far in his Charlotte career, Toklomati has combined with Ashley Westwood, Vargas, and Biel for three goals, Zaha for two, and none with Abada. Combining and connecting with teammates is one of the Israeli's greatest strengths, so improving those connections in the final third will be paramount. Overall 2026 expectations Based on all the above reasons, here is a bulletpoint breakdown of what seems to be sound expectations for the level Charlotte FC fans should see Toklomati rise to in 2026: Top 15 goal scorer in MLS 17+ goals scored (Agyemang and Toklomati combined for 18 in 2025 at the striker position) Playing a key role in pivotal moments to help Charlotte FC advance towards their season goals: advancing in MLS Cup playoffs, making a deep run in US Open Cup or Leagues Cup, rising up the Supporters' Shield table, and qualifying for Concacaf Champions Cup

By Brian Maurer Nathan Byrne (left) and Pep Biel (Photo courtesy of CJ Hellner/TopBin90) Charlotte FC was able to pull one back and earn a point on the road against St. Louis City in a back-and-forth affair. St. Louis found a few dangerous moments through the first 30 minutes, while Charlotte’s best look in the first half came from Idan Toklomati off the post, but he was ruled offside. Liel Abada and Nathan Byrne both had strong drives and chances late in the first half but couldn’t make anything happen. The first 15 minutes of the second half were far more end-to-end, with both teams getting opportunities to create. St. Louis then took control for a stretch, and Marcel Hartel found the back of the net off a Charlotte turnover in their own half. Soon after, Pep Biel was able to find a response by finishing off a good look from in close after receiving a nice through ball from Wilfried Zaha. Kristijan Kahlina had to help salvage the Crown’s point in a big way down the stretch as St. Louis started pouring on pressure late into stoppage time. Here is our Charlotte FC stock up, stock down after their Week 1 draw: Stock Up Pep Biel  - The star midfielder was not able to make a massive impact in the first half, but when he got his look, he buried it well in the second to help the Crown get out of St. Louis with a point. That’s what you expect from your key players: being able to be the difference and find equalizing or game-winning moments regardless of the game state. Kristijan Kahlina  - The 2024 Goalkeeper of the Year had to come up big against St. Louis as he made 10 saves on the day. He had to make five saves after the 75th minute to help maintain the 1-1 draw. That many last-minute shots also highlighted how much pressure Charlotte had to deal with through the final minutes. It was not ideal as a team, but good on Kahlina for being able to stand tall. David Schnegg  - The full-back's performance didn’t light up the stat sheet, but the Austrian came in and helped the attack by playing very high for stretches and was involved in the final third play that led to Biel’s goal. It was a good start to his time in Charlotte, and continued to highlight what was seen in preseason, that the Crown has multiple options at left back this year. Stock Down Andrew Privett and Tim Ream exposed on counters  - Kahlina praised his backline during the post-match presser, but the backline duo was definitely exposed during counterattacking moments and in 1v1 situations, as both centerbacks looked to be on the back foot several times. Simon Becher and St. Louis City’s attack pressured Privett a good bit throughout this matchup, drawing an early yellow, which also didn't help the former SuperDraft pick deal with the rest of the game. Becher also exposed Ream a couple of times, both with his 1v1 pace and with a ball over the top to his teammate Brendan McSorley, who was a second-half substitute.  This exposure is a setback for the defending duo, but at the same time, the reason they were put under pressure like this is team-wide, which is what Kahlina referenced in his press conference. Below is a graphic of Charlotte FC’s starting XI’s average position that highlights how isolated and pinned back Privett and Ream were throughout the game. The Crown will need to leave this duo less isolated and do a better job of maintaining possession during build-up without losing it in bad spots as often as they did against St. Louis. Image pulled from Sofascore Liel Abada  - This wasn’t the worst performance by the Israeli winger, and he had a couple of decent looks, but this season, the DP will be under a serious microscope. The game script of being down 1-0, needing a goal, and Smith deciding that you are the player he is willing to take off in that moment is not a good first impression after regaining the starting job. Charlotte FC’s possession play and build-up  - All three lines struggled with build-up play and maintaining possession for long stretches of this match. There were several turnovers in bad areas as the Crown attempted to progress the ball from back to front that led to St. Louis counters and eventually their first goal. While above I commented on the centerback duo’s stock being down, they were definitely left hanging out to dry on many occasions by the midfield and fullbacks being out of position on counters.