Hello and welcome to the MLS Now Podcast! We are a group of passionate MLS fans who love providing content. You can find our content in three places: 1) On any and all podcasting services, where David, Russell, and Gavin provide their commentary on all MLS-wide talking points, 2) http://www.mlsnowpodcast.com , where we have a rapidly growing team of correspondents who cover specific clubs, USMNT, and a referee’s viewpoint on all controversial decisions, and 3) on Twitter and Instagram at @mlsnowpodcast . Please leave a review to let us know how we’re doing and we hope you enjoy the content!
Russell, David, and Gavin discuss some of the latest news before providing a high level recap of weeks 16 and 17 Timestamps 0:00 — Intro 2:00 — Post-World Cup transfer reactions 4:36 — Liga MX moves and MLS talent retention 6:19 — Salary cap / discovery rights discussion 9:56 — Transition to match recap 11:24 — All-Star Skills Challenge / All-Star Game timing 14:42 — Discovery rights team picks 19:28 — St. Louis City discussion 30:33 — NYCFC discussion 36:13 — Chicago Fire / Lewandowski discussion 44:18 — LAFC discussion 60:03 — Philadelphia Union and Seattle Sounders 74:43 — Antoine Griezmann / Orlando City discussion 83:36 — DC United match experience 91:27 — Hell is Real / Cincinnati vs Columbus 98:18 — Eastern Conference standings 99:58 — Second-half team watchlist
Russell and Gavin recap the return of MLS regular season after the 2026 world cup break Timestamps 00:00 MLS Season Restart and Initial Reactions 02:03 Analysis of MLS Match Results and Team Performances 03:58 World Cup 2026: Spain’s Dominant Performance 05:59 Argentina’s Disappointing Final and World Cup Stats 07:59 MLS League Strategy and Marketing During World Cup 10:52 Player Transfers: Cuypers and Wagner Moves 13:55 Seattle vs Portland: Match Breakdown and Injuries 16:55 Rivalry Week and Notable MLS Matches 18:55 Team Outlooks and Future Predictions for MLS 21:58 The Impact of World Cup on MLS and League Growth 24:58 Player Performance and League Talent Development 51:42 Discussion on player transfers and league policies 52:20 Analysis of Nashville vs Atlanta match and injury impacts 56:40 Nashville's continued success and league top contenders 01:02:02 LAFC's Son finally scores his first goal 01:06:21 MLS transfer roundup: notable moves and player careers 01:12:24 International transfers and league talent movement 01:20:22 Discussion on league strategies and future moves
Russell and Beau recap week 13 of MLS regular season Timestamps 00:00 Intro 02:18 Coaching Changes 08:03 Underrated Players 13:45 MLS All-Star Predictions and Player Rankings 25:39 Nashville vs LAFC: Match Analysis 33:16 Portland's Struggles and Coaching Decisions 41:40 NYCFC's Performance and Player Injuries 44:29 San Diego's Recent Form and Future Prospects 47:34 True-ish Statements and Predictions 48:57 Young Talents and World Cup Considerations 51:20 Evaluating Player Performance and Future Prospects 55:37 Match Highlights and Team Analysis 57:59 Physical Toll of the Season and Travel Impact 01:01:34 World Cup Excitement and Predictions 01:03:38 Vancouver's Success and Coaching Impact 01:09:21 Bruce Arena's Influence on Team Performance
Russell and Beau recap week 12 of MLS regular season Timestamps 00:00 Intro 03:13 Hot Takes: Surprising Teams in MLS 05:54 Philadelphia's Fall from Grace 08:53 DC United and New England: Teams to Watch 11:17 Red Bulls: Ahead of Schedule? 14:10 Griezmann and De Bruyne: Potential MLS Signings 16:51 Cincinnati: The New Charlotte? 19:21 The Importance of Hard Work in MLS 27:19 San Jose's Surprising Identity 31:54 Minnesota's Struggles with Key Player Absences 36:43 Portland's Get Right Game Against Kansas City 40:13 LAFC vs Houston: A Game of Momentum 49:20 Nashville's Injury Challenges and Future Prospects 01:06:24 Confounding Teams in MLS 01:08:25 Columbus Crew's Coaching Situation 01:17:56 Quick Hits on Recent Matches
Russell and Gavin recap week 11 of the 2026 MLS regular season Timestamps 00:00 Intro 03:00 Orlando City vs. Inter Miami: A Historic Comeback 05:53 Cincinnati vs. Chicago: Late Drama and Penalties 10:51 Columbus Crew vs. Minnesota United: A Tale of Two Halves 15:27 LAFC vs. San Diego: Last-Minute Heroics 17:59 Son's Under-the-Radar Season: A Discussion on Performance 24:10 The Struggles of Teams to Secure Wins 27:21 St. Louis's Offensive Woes 29:54 Austin's Expected Performance 33:09 Seattle's Missed Opportunities 35:06 LA Galaxy's Offensive Challenges 37:00 Vancouver's Disappointment Against Galaxy 41:48 Toronto's Missed Chances at Home 46:33 Media Access Controversies 51:08 Assessing Team Performance: The Red Bulls' Struggles 54:04 Golden Boot Standings: A Mid-Season Review 58:22 Trends Across the League
Russell and Gavin recap the last week of MLS action, both mid-week and weekend action Timestamps 00:00 Intro 01:22 Vancouver Whitecaps Relocation Controversy 12:18 Midweek Matchday Highlights 26:01 San Jose's Dominance in the League 31:23 Philadelphia Union's Struggles 39:49 Reflections on Refereeing Decisions 50:18 San Diego's Current Challenges 55:45 Miami's Struggles and New England's Resurgence 57:39 Vancouver's Dominance and Key Player Performances 01:00:39 Sporting Kansas City's Struggles 01:04:05 League Dynamics: Weaknesses and Strengths 01:11:15 Listener Comments and Community Insights
Russell, David, and Gavin recap week 8 of the MLS regular season Timestamps 00:00 Intro 03:08 Bounces and Luck in the Games 05:14 The Impact of Kit Sponsorship in MLS 10:27 San Jose's Surprising Performance 26:02 Bruce Arena's Impact on San Jose 32:53 Austin's Struggles and Future Prospects 35:21 Dallas's Inconsistencies and Petar Musa's Role 43:10 St. Louis's Struggles and Future Outlook 44:43 San Diego's Decline and Potential Solutions 52:56 The Impact of Messi on Attendance and Fan Experience 57:42 Colorado's Tactical Approach Against Miami 01:01:09 Chicago's Struggles and Late Game Draws 01:07:16 Quick Hits: Teams on the Rise and Fall
Russell and Gavin recap week 7 of MLS regular season Timestamps 00:00 Intro 03:10 Red Cards Galore: A Season of Discipline 06:05 Toronto vs. Cincinnati: A Match of Missed Opportunities 11:48 Coaching Changes: Montreal's Latest Shake-Up 17:47 Quick Hits: Eastern Conference Updates 33:09 Chicago Fire: Margins of Victory and Team Identity 39:37 Neymar's Potential Move: Impact and Implications 43:54 San Diego's Struggles and Minnesota's Tactical Success 49:49 Colorado's Dominance: A Turning Point or an Anomaly? 59:11 San Jose's Execution: Consistency in Performance 01:05:51 Portland's Shocking Victory Over LAFC 01:11:14 Quick Hits from the Western Conference 01:21:04 Listener Comments and Final Thoughts
Russell and Gavin recap week 6 of MLS regular season Timestamps 00:00 Intro 08:50 Toronto's Comeback and Player Performances 13:46 Cincinnati's Struggles and Team Dynamics 26:30 Julian Hall's Rising Stardom 33:13 Columbus Crew's First Win 41:04 Orlando's Ongoing Challenges 48:37 LAFC's Dominance in the West 53:18 Vancouver's Stoppage Time Comeback 58:52 Vancouver's Resilience After Last Season 01:00:56 San Jose's Surprising Performance 01:04:54 Austin FC's Draw Against Miami 01:07:06 Quick Hits and Final Thoughts 01:29:09 Listener Comments
Russell and Gavin recap all the key moments from week 5 of MLS regular season Timestamps 00:00 Intro 05:47 St. Louis Breakthrough 08:47 Cincinnati's Resilience 11:35 Dallas vs. Houston Rivalry 14:39 Nashville's Dominance 17:32 Griezmann's Impact on Orlando 20:28 Coaching Changes and Future Prospects 33:39 New York Red Bulls' Roller Coaster Season 43:42 Colorado Rapids Win in Kansas City 53:09 San Jose's Impressive Win Against Vancouver 01:04:24 Columbus Crew's Struggles 01:06:23 Atlanta and DC United: A Lack of Joy 01:07:44 Austin vs LAFC: Offside Controversies 01:15:31 RSL's Potential and Diego Luna's Return 01:20:51 San Diego's Midweek Action and Future Prospects
Russell, Tim, and Gavin discuss a wild weekend of MLS regular season soccer Timestamps 00:00 Intro 07:05 Chicago vs. DC United Match Breakdown 24:55 Summer Transfer Window Strategies 30:44 LAFC's Historic Start 39:03 Cincinnati's Defensive Struggles and Future Outlook 49:58 Atlanta United's Revival 52:54 Philadelphia Union's Challenges 55:43 Suspension of Ernst Tanner 59:34 Kansas City Wins 01:03:26 LA Galaxy's Struggles 01:16:33 Remote Broadcasting: The Challenges Faced 01:26:57 Labor Relations: Players' Concerns and Future Implications
Russell and Gavin react to week 3 of MLS regular season action Timestamps 00:00 Intro 02:35 Horror Movie References in Soccer 05:17 Orlando City: A Team in Crisis 07:58 Nashville SC: Rising to the Top 15:43 Player Performances and Key Moments 26:10 Looking Ahead: Predictions and Vibes 27:24 Analyzing the LA Galaxy vs Colorado Match 31:46 Evaluating Colorado's Season Performance 35:00 Golden Boot Draft Update 40:06 Gambling Controversies in MLS 44:33 Cincinnati's Stagnation and Future Prospects 49:40 Systemic Changes Needed 51:56 Coaching Decisions and Team Performance 53:41 Red Bulls' Struggles and Learning Opportunities 59:38 Atlanta United's Defensive Woes 01:06:07 RSL's Promising Young Talent 01:12:55 Emerging Tiers in MLS Teams 01:18:47 San Jose's Potential and Upcoming Challenges 01:21:39 Dallas' Current Standing and Future Prospects 01:24:41 Emotional Intensity in Matches 01:26:34 Upcoming Matches and Predictions
Russell, David, and Gavin react to a fun week of 2026 MLS action Timestamps 0:00 Intro 04:15 MLS Season Kickoff Highlights 12:43 Analyzing Orlando City's Performance 23:39 Patience in Early Season Evaluations 27:32 Philadelphia Union's Struggles 33:36 Analyzing the Game: DC United vs. Philadelphia Union 39:11 The Walmart Saturday Showdown: LAFC vs. Miami 49:56 LA Galaxy's New Dynamics and Challenges 55:36 Portland vs. Columbus 01:08:14 Nashville's Promising Start and Key Player Signings 01:12:19 Houston's Victory and Player Recognition 01:24:02 Looking Ahead: Upcoming Matches and Expectations
Russell, Beau, and Gavin create a vibes-based tier-maker heading into the 2026 MLS season Timestamps 00:00 Intro 08:04 Analyzing Sporting Kansas City and Minnesota United 13:09 Atlanta United's Coaching Changes 18:09 San Jose's Challenges and Future 22:45 LAFC and Inter Miami's Dominance 27:37 San Diego's Potential and Conclusion 35:04 Charlotte FC: Potential and Challenges 42:07 New York Red Bulls: A Team in Transition 48:41 FC Dallas: Struggles and Future Prospects 57:25 Chicago Fire: Vibes and Potential 01:07:05 Columbus Crew: Transition and Competitiveness 01:14:40 Philadelphia Union: System-Based Challenges 01:24:52 Houston Dynamo: New Faces and Expectations 01:37:28 Vancouver Whitecaps: Competitors or Just Happy to Be Here? 01:51:20 Evaluating DC United's New Additions 01:56:33 New England Revolution: Where Do They Stand? 02:03:00 Assessing LA Galaxy's Potential 02:09:42 St. Louis City: A Team in Transition 02:20:52 League Dynamics and World Cup Impact
Russell, Beau, and Gavin give a quick preview of this week's CONCACAF Champions Cup action before discussing the latest MLS offseason topics Timestamps 00:00 Intro 11:59 CONCACAF Champions Cup Predictions 31:09 Offseason Transactions Discussion 36:36 Player Transfers: Love and Hate 01:14:34 Assessing Underwhelming Signings
Russell, Beau, and Gavin discuss all the latest news around MLS Timestamps 00:00 Intro 03:33 Transfer Rumors and Player Movements 06:20 Analyzing Joao Klauss' Move to LA Galaxy 17:51 Austin FC's Strategy and Player Roles 32:35 Creative Strategies for Fan Engagement 34:39 Columbus Crew's Rebuilding Phase 41:46 Overhyping Inter Miami: A Critical Analysis 01:01:08 Discussion on Designated Players (DPs)
