My final, official 2026 MLS standings predictions (and thank you!)

Wanted to send out a special edition of the newsletter. I'm not planning to send stuff out, usually, on Fridays or Saturdays, but given it's First Kick and given it's been a hell of a past 10 days, I figure it's warranted.

Also warranted: a huge "thank you" from me to you. I won't belabor it – we all know why I feel the need to say thanks.

Ok, on with the show:

Some last-minute changes, mostly around Toronto FC getting the Josh Sargent deal across the line, as well as snagging Dániel Sallói on the relative cheap. That means I get to make some last-minute changes in my standings predictions for the year ahead. As does the entire Kickback gang.

Here's me:

Eastern Conference

1. Inter Miami
2. Nashville SC
3. NCYFC (I don't know why I have them this high; just a weird gut feeling)
4. FC Cincinnati
5. Philadelphia Union
6. Chicago Fire
7. Charlotte FC
8. New England Revolution
9. Toronto FC
10. Columbus Crew
11. Orlando City
12. Atlanta United
13. New York Red Bulls
14. D.C. United
15. CF Montréal

Western Conference

1. LAFC
2. Seattle Sounders
3. Vancouver Whitecaps
4. San Diego FC
5. LA Galaxy
6. FC Dallas
7. San Jose Earthquakes (!!!)
8. Austin FC
9. Portland Timbers
10. Minnesota United
11. Colorado Rapids
12. Houston Dynamo
13. Real Salt Lake
14. St. Louis City
15. Sporting KC

Click through here for the rest of the gang:

As the subhed says, when you're holding my(our) feet to the fire after the season, use these.

• Susannah kicked off her new show, Open Mic, this week. First guest was none other than Charlotte Wilder of The Sports Gossip Show. Great listen for anyone who wants to know how the wheels turn behind the scenes.

• I got to spend some time chatting with Jason Davis and Robert Kerr on Morning Kickaround midweek.

• Still filling in for Tom on Inside American Soccer, where this week Tab and I discussed the No. 9 depth chart (and expressed concern about Flo Balogun's cold streak... right before he dropped a brace on PSG).

• And finally, the great Michele Giannone joined Gass on Soccerwise to preview the FULL Matchday 1 slate.