The international break has come and gone as MLS kicks into gear with its sixth weekend of action in 2026. 

Toronto FC will look to continue their strong form heading into the break against a Colorado side that looks to be evolving into a solid force in the Western Conference under new head coach Matt Wells.

The match will also serve as a return game for members on both sides. While he’s reportedly out of the squad as he awaits a work visa, Kosi Thompson returns to Toronto just a couple of weeks after being dealt to the Rapids on MLS deadline day. 

On the home side, Djordje Mihailović and head coach Robin Fraser face off against their former club for the first time since joining the Reds.

Both these teams sit seventh in their respective conferences as they look to jump out of big rebuilds over the past 12 months, and look to jump into the top five respectively with a win. 

They’ll meet for the first time since a September 2024 matchup where the Rapids won 2-0 in Denver, capped off by a Mihailović penalty in second half stoppage time.

How Toronto FC enter the match

It was a positive last three games of March before the international break, where TFC took seven of a possible nine points, capped off by a come-from-behind home win over Columbus at BMO Field.

The Reds now enter a month of April where they play five consecutive home games in the heart of a nine-game homestand looking to keep their momentum going and create some serious noise in what looks like a weaker Eastern conference in the early goings of the MLS campaign.

While the attack has improved so far this season, it still could hit another level as Toronto’s two DP attackers, Josh Sargent and Mihailović, still haven’t started together yet. That alongside continued excellent play from Dániel Sallói should give the team an offensive trio that can create chances and score against anyone, and it’s possible the trio gets its first full look together this weekend.

Meanwhile, the defending has improved in recent weeks after a messy start to the year thanks to the stability Benjamín Kuscevic has given the back line following his signing, and the continuity between him and Walker Zimmerman should keep things bolstered shut in front of Luka Gavran’s goal.

How Colorado Rapids enter the match

After parting ways with former TFC head coach Chris Armas at the end of the 2025 campaign, it’s been a fairly positive start to life in the Matt Wells era in Colorado. They’ve won three and lost two of their first five games of the season, with the two losses coming on the road to MLS Cup contenders in Seattle and NYCFC.

It’s no secret that this is not the same team as they were even a year ago.

The Rapids have turned into a front-foot, possession-heavy team, going from having 45.4 percent (27th in MLS) of the ball in 2025 to 54.6 percent (eighth in MLS) this season. A big reason for that is the play of 18-year-old Australia international centre-back Lucas Herrington, whose 79.4 accurate passes per 90 minutes sit 13th in MLS so far this season.

Other new signings to the starting XI for the Rapids include former CF Montreal winger Dante Sealy, left-back Miguel Navarro and midfielder Hamzat Ojediran, while youngsters Darren Yapi, Wayne Frederick and Jackson Travis have enjoyed bigger roles under Wells.

Stalwarts like Zack Steffen in goal and Rafael Navarro up front still lead this team, but even attacking midfielder Paxten Aaronson as well as centre-backs Rob Holding and Noah Cobb were brought in last summer as part of the rebuild.

They also stayed busy near the end of the window, making the aforementioned trade for Thompson, while also splashing some allocation money for Seattle Sounders winger Georgi Minoungou, who should slot in as the starting left winger.

So far, the new era in Colorado has brought success, and they’ll look to keep building on their strong play as they head down to Toronto this weekend.

Availability

For the Reds, winger Theo Corbeanu and defender Henry Wingo are expected to remain out in their injury recoveries, while the status of left-back Matheus Pereira and centre-back Nicksoen Gomis is up in the air, as they recover from injuries that have held them out all season.

On the visitor’s side, alongside Thompson’s immigration-related absence, midfielder Connor Ronan and right-back Reggie Cannon are expected to remain out due to lower leg injuries.

Projected XIs

It’s always a bit tricky to predict lineups coming out of international breaks, especially with some players making long travels from around the world. 

TrueNorthFoot projects just one change on each side, as Minoungou jumps into a starting spot from the jump for Colorado, while Mihailovic returns to his starting post in Toronto after playing just the second half against Columbus due to an illness.

Toronto FC (4-2-3-1): Luka Gavran; Richie Laryea, Walker Zimmerman, Benjamín Kuscevic, Raheem Edwards; Alonso Coello, Jonathan Osorio; José Cifuentes, Djordje Mihailović, Dániel Sallói; Josh Sargent

Colorado Rapids (4-3-3): Zack Steffen; Jackson Travis, Rob Holding, Lucas Herrington, Miguel Navarro; Hamzat Ojediran, Paxten Aaronson; Wayne Frederick; Dante Sealy, Rafael Navarro, Georgi Minoungou

Game information and how to watch

📆 Saturday, April 4, 2026
⏰ 1:00 pm ET / 10:00 am PT
📺 Apple TV
👤 Ricardo Montero
🏟 BMO Field, Toronto, Canada