FRISCO, Texas — Saturday marks the start of the 2026 season for FC Dallas. 

In Eric Quill’s first year as head coach, FC Dallas qualified for the MLS Cup playoffs play-in game after finishing seventh in the Western Conference standings (11W-12L-11D, 44 points) in 2025. 

FC Dallas opens the season at home against Toronto FC at 7:30 p.m. CT. 

With the season coming back into full swing, we’ve got eight storylines to watch both on the pitch and off:


1. New era in between the posts: Paes out, Collodi in

FC Dallas transferred goalkeeper Maarten Paes to Dutch side AFC Ajax of the Eredivisie earlier this month. It brings to an end a four-year run in which Paes tied Matt Jordan for the most starts by a goalkeeper in franchise history (114).

Paes served as captain throughout the 2025 season, making 23 appearances, but missed a significant portion late in the year with an upper-leg and hamstring injury. Homegrown talent Michael Collodi filled in valiantly in Paes’ absence. 

Collodi was one of soccer writer Matt Doyle’s 2026 breakout player candidates. Doyle noted that in his short stint at the end of the 2025 season, Collodi was, statistically, the best keeper in MLS.

Doyle even went as far as predicting Collodi to win the 2026 Goalkeeper of the Year.

“Dallas is going to continue conceding a lot of shots, which means he’ll produce some very obvious ‘man, he’s good!” data,” Doyle wrote.


2. FC Dallas stadium update: How does it look now?

FC Dallas fans – and those who watched matches on Apple TV – would notice the East side of Toyota Stadium was tarped off as they worked on the $182 million renovations, which included stripping the East side of the stadium at the time. 

The East side of the stadium will remain tarped off as the 2026 season begins, and fans will also notice there is a roof over that side now. Concession stands on the East side are also being built back up again.

You can get live looks at the stadium construction here. 


3. FC Dallas’ new faces: Offseason additions

  • Ran Binyamin: Binyamin was acquired from Israeli Premier League club Hapoel Tel Aviv as a U22 Initiative player.
  • Herman Johansson: Johansson joins Dallas after winning the Allsvenskan title with Mjällby AIF and earning his first senior cap with Sweden.
  • Jonathan Sirois: The veteran MLS goalkeeper was acquired from CF Montréal.
  • Joaquín Valiente: Valiente arrives from the Uruguayan side Defensor SC.
  • Brooks Thompson: Thompson comes to Dallas to fill a third keeper role on a loan from USL Championship side Lexington SC.


4. New threads: Check out the ‘DNA kit’

FC Dallas unveiled the DNA kit, the club’s new primary jersey for 2026 and 2027. The DNA kit marks the return of FC Dallas’ bold horizontal hoops and introduces slim white piping. For the first time, a holographic FC Dallas crest adds a dynamic star detail, a subtle nod to Texas’ Lone Star identity.

The DNA kit will debut when FC Dallas hosts Toronto FC in its 2026 regular season opener.



5. New concessions: Check out these monster items coming to Toyota Stadium

FC Dallas debuted new additions to its Texas-sized menu offerings for the 2026 MLS season. 

The new items will be available at the FC Dallas home opener of its 31st MLS season against Toronto FC on Saturday, Feb. 21.

Here is a look at all the new items: 

  • The FC Dallas BBQ Bacon Jam & Cheddar Burger   
    • BBQ bacon jam, cheddar, lettuce, tomato, onions and pickles   
    • Location: Stand 8
  • The Nashville Hot Honey Chicken Sandwich    
    • Pickle-brined battered chicken, hot honey sauce, Nashville spice, lettuce, tomato, onion and pickle.   
    • Location: Stand 8
  • Pernil Nachos   
    • Slow-roasted pork pernil, tortilla chips, black beans, queso, pico de gallo, chili dust, and cilantro.    
    • Location: Winners Club
  • Match Day Cookie Melt 
    • A scrumptious chocolate chip cookie bake.   
    • Location: Winners Club
  • Kale, Sweet Potato & Pepita Salad  
    • Kale, roasted sweet potato, dried cranberry, toasted pepitas, cherry tomato, sliced red onion, roasted cauliflower, lemon vinaigrette.     
    • Location: Home Grown
  • Brisket Cotija Tacos   
    • BBQ brisket, pickled onion, cotija cheese, cilantro, salsa verde.    
    • Location: Stand 9
  • The Tex-Mex Striker Burrito   
    • An update to a match day favorite, stewed pinto beans, spiced ground beef, cheddar jack blend, corn salsa, queso, Spanish rice, with a side of salsa and queso.    
    • Location: Stand 9
  • Premier Lemon Pepper Fried Wings 
    • A sports fare favorite is now available with lemon pepper greatness.
    • Location: Stand 8
  • Spicy Sausage Link    
    • Delicious traditional link sausage with garlic aioli.   
    • Location: Stand 9 

PHOTOS: New food at FC Dallas games for the 2026 season


6. FC Dallas in the World Cup?

The World Cup is coming to North Texas this summer, and a handful of current FC Dallas players could help their respective nations. 

First, you’ve got Deedson. He’s essentially a lock to make the Haiti World Cup squad after helping them qualify for the first time in over 50 years. 

FC Dallas star striker, Petar Musa, played a role in Croatia’s qualifying and could be a feature on their World Cup squad. 

Johansson just made his first cap with Sweden during World Cup qualifying and could be a member of the team, too.

Then, you get into the “on the bubble” realm: Sirois could be in play for Canada’s third-string goalkeeper spot. 

And … maybe … a huge shot in the dark here … but maybe could we see Collodi sneak into USA’s third-string goalkeeper spot? He hasn’t been called up to date, but what if he is unequivocally the best keeper in the first half of MLS, even better than USMNT mainstays Matt Freese (NYCFC) and Matt Turner (New England Revolution)?

Could Collodi strike while the iron is hot at (literally) the perfect time? Let’s see.


7. Quill’s second year: He follows ‘damn good players’ model

During the end-of-season press conference, head coach Eric Quill was asked about the roster makeup. Quill simply responded: 

“The only model I follow is the DGP model: the damn good players model. You can call ’em whatever the hell you want. Thirty DGP’s … that’s what we want.”

Well, Quill is entering year two. FC Dallas was marred by injury in year one, so many guys got plenty of opportunities to show whether or not they are the DGP he is looking for. 

The meat of FC Dallas’ roster better turn into Quill’s wishful “damn good players” mantra because they only have one “Designated Player” on their roster. That brings us to the final point.


8. Only 1 Designated Player: Is that sustainable?

Teams have to submit their roster profile to the league by Feb. 20, committing to either the Designated Player Model (three Designated Players and three U22 Initiative players) or the U22 Initiative Player Model (two Designated Players and four U22 Initiative players). 

FC Dallas listed itself as a U22 Initiative roster construction as of September 2025, and only three of the club’s four U22 Initiative players from then remain on the roster. Enes Sali was loaned out to Al-Riyadh SC. However, Binyamin takes up the fourth U22 slot.

So, they’ll be going into the 2026 season with Musa as the only Designated Player and four U22s. Musa had a heck of a year, grabbing 18 goals and six assists, a career high for him. 

FC Dallas can still sign a second Designated Player until the Primary Transfer Window ends on March 26. The Secondary Transfer Window opens from Monday, July 13 to Wednesday, Sept. 2. They could also sign one in this period, too.

The FC Dallas brass are bullish on their strikers, particularly Musa and fellow big man Logan Farrington, who played a dual No. 9 role alongside Musa for much of the season. Farrington started in 18 games in 2025, scored five goals and added four assists. Look for this dynamic duo to be a key fixture in 2026 for FC Dallas.


FC Dallas season-opening press conference

Owner Dan Hunt, Quill and Chief Soccer Officer and Sporting Director André Zanotta spoke to the media ahead of the season opener: 


FC Dallas 2026 season prediction

The Apple TV talent gave their predictions for the 2026 regular season. They weren’t very kind to FC Dallas. Seven of them had FC Dallas missing the playoffs (10th or lower): 

  • Andrés Agulla: 10th in Western Conference
  • Marcelo Balboa: 11th in Western Conference
  • Max Bretos: 9th in Western Conference
  • Steve Cangialosi: 8th in Western Conference
  • Daniel Chapela: 8th in Western Conference
  • Miguel Gallardo: 14th in Western Conference
  • Michele Giannone: 9th in Western Conference
  • Tony Husband: 11th in Western Conference
  • Sacha Kljestan: 11th in Western Conference
  • Kaylyn Kyle: 8th in Western Conference
  • Lori Lindsey: 7th in Western Conference
  • Dax McCarty: 9th in Western Conference
  • Sammy Sadovnik: 13th in Western Conference
  • Bruno Vain: 8th in Western Conference
  • Bradley Wright-Phillips: 11th in Western Conference