Are Messi, Miami MLS’ Best Hope?

Yes, the offseason is already about to come to an end for some MLS clubs.

The Concacaf Champions Cup begins on Tuesday, bringing a start to the new season, and the last MLS will play on a February-to-December schedule.

San Diego FC will be the first MLS team to get involved with a home-and-home series with Pumas UNAM beginning on Tuesday. Two weeks later, FC Cincinnati, the Los Angeles Galaxy, Los Angeles FC, Nashville SC, the Philadelphia Union and the Vancouver Whitecaps get involved with their first-round fixtures. And then Inter Miami CF and the Seattle Sounders begin play in March in the round of 16.

This might be the best collection of MLS sides ever to compete in Concacaf’s top club tournament, and with several teams who have a realistic shot to join the 2022 Sounders as the second MLS champion in the tournament’s modern era.

But who are they?

Read on as we rank the MLS entrants from worst to best shot to win the title, based on team quality and their tournament draw.

9

LA Galaxy

Credit: Soobum Im-Imagn Images

Greg Vanney’s side should be better than last year’s miserable campaign, but with their best player, Riqui Puig, set to miss a second consecutive season, it’s hard to imagine a deep run despite a relatively friendly draw.

8

Nashville SC

This is the best Nashville side ever to play in continental competition. Unfortunately, if they advance to the second round, they’ll face a Miami side that has absolutely owned them since Lionel Messi‘s arrival to the Herons.

7

San Diego FC

Manager Mikey Varas did an amazing job in San Diego’s expansion season. But we haven’t yet seen their depth tested by the kind of schedule a deep continental run would require. Their draw is also brutal, with Pumas in the first round and potentially Toluca in the round of 16.

6

FC Cincinnati

Photo Credit: FC Cincinnati

Kevin Denkey and Evander are one of the best one-two combinations in MLS. But Cincy thrived by doing “just enough” to earn results in the regular season last year. That’s an unsustainable dynamic with the added burden a deep continental run would require.

5

Philadelphia Union

The Union won their second Supporters’ Shield in 2025. Then they parted with their leading scorer and an MLS Best XI-caliber left back during the offseason, and will likely be a work in progress early in 2026. That’s not really an option that Concacaf play allows.

4

Seattle Sounders

The Rave Green have sometimes felt less than the sum of their parts recently, but their consistent experience with tournament play makes them one of the toughest MLS teams to eliminate. See last year’s League Cup title run and impressive FIFA Club World Cup showing.

3

Vancouver Whitecaps

The Whitecaps are facing plenty of questions off the field, but they’ve added more talent to one of the league’s deepest rosters and have the experience of last year’s run to the final to draw on. They’re also a more balanced side than the Sounders.

2

Los Angeles FC

While the Black-and-Gold ultimately couldn’t reach 2025 MLS Cup, they were arguably the league’s second-best side down the stretch once they pulled off an MLS-record transfer to sign Son Heung-min. They also have the best draw of MLS teams without a bye.

1

Inter Miami

Sam Navarro | Imagn Images

Concacaf success is the one remaining challenge for Messi to achieve with Miami. But the Herons got better — and more importantly, for continental success, younger — after winning the 2025 MLS Cup. New striker German Berterame has a great tournament track record.

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