The 2026 MLS campaign begins for Toronto FC as they travel to take on FC Dallas on Saturday.
The Reds will look to get the new season off on the right foot and win their first season opener since 2019. Standing in the way is a Dallas side whose 2025 season ended at the hands of the Vancouver Whitecaps in the first round of the playoffs after a hot streak saw them sneak in as the seventh seed.
Both sides will be optimistic about their chances in the upcoming season, with new additions ready to debut and a fresh slate available to climb the standings.
How Toronto FC enter the match
It might not quite be a full-strength Toronto FC yet, as new additions Emilio Aristizábal, Raheem Edwards and Dániel Sallói were all officially announced in just the past few days, and while they’re expected to be in the squad in Frisco, they may not be fully acclimated with the squad in time to play meaningful minutes.
The long-awaited, big-money transfer for U.S. international striker Josh Sargent is reportedly at the finish line, and while he’ll be a huge boost to the attack as the season goes along, it will likely take another couple of weeks until he’s ready to play.
Former defender of the year Walker Zimmerman is expected to make his Toronto debut against the club he started his MLS career with, while new left back Matheus Pereira is doubtful after dealing with a knock in preseason.
TFC ended 2025 on a fairly comical run of 1W-8D-1L as they were hard to beat, but didn’t have enough meaningful offence to take over and win many games. They spent almost all of their preseason in Marbella, Spain, and played a handful of Nordic and East Asian clubs to prepare for the season.
How FC Dallas enter the match
Dallas, under head coach Eric Quill, definitely took some steps last season, particularly after moving on from polarizing attacking midfielder Luciano Acosta.
That allowed the team to settle into a defensive, transition-focused side that succeeded through a strong back line, elite goalkeeping from first-year starter Michael Collodi and a striker duo of Croatian designated player Petar Musa alongside scrappy SuperDraft pick Logan Farrington.
This setup turned FCD from a disappointing mess to a playoff spot, but the series against the Whitecaps proved the gap between Dallas and the cream of the crop in MLS.
To evolve in 2026, they went out and got two players that can help them create attack with possession in Swedish wing back Herman Johansson and Uruguayan attacking midfielder Joaquín Valiente.
Dallas spent a good portion of their preseason in Algarve, Portugal, participating in the Atlantic Cup against a mix of Nordic and MLS opposition.
Absences/Doubts
Toronto: Theo Corbeanu (doubtful/undisclosed), Nicksoen Gomis (doubtful/achilles), Matheus Pereira (doubtful/undisclosed), Deandre Kerr (questionable/undisclosed), Zane Monlouis (questionable/lower body)
Dallas: Geovane Jesus (out/knee)
Projected XIs
TrueNorthFoot projects a lineup that will look fairly similar to how Toronto ended last season, as a majority of the new signings will have to wait for their full debut with the club. Dallas will see one of their two key additions join the fray in Johansson, with Valiente not yet fully integrated.
Toronto FC (4-2-3-1): Gavran; Franklin, Thompson, Zimmerman, Laryea; Coello, Cifuentes; Henry, Osorio, Mihailovic; Etienne Jr.
FC Dallas (3-5-2): Collodi; Moore, Urhoghide, Ibeagha; Johansson, Kaick, Ramiro, Cappis, Kamungo; Musa, Farrington
Game information and how to watch
📆 Saturday, February 21, 2026
⏰ 8:30 pm ET / 5:30 pm PT
📺 MLS Season Pass
👤 Timothy Ford
🏟 Toyota Stadium, Frisco, Texas
