The 2025 MLS season has come and gone for several clubs meaning the roster building for 2026 is underway.
Real Salt Lake, Sporting KC, St. Louis CITY SC, and the Houston Dynamo are four of the first teams to begin making roster moves ahead of the winter offseason schedule. The LA Galaxy, Toronto FC, and CF Montreal have also been among the clubs reorganizing their rosters ahead of 2026.
Griffin Dorsey, Matty Longstaff, and Chris Durkin were among several players to see their options exercised. Johnny Russell, Alfredo Morales and Bryce Duke saw their options declined, opening the door for them to seek new opportunities elsewhere.
Many more clubs are expected to announce their roster moves over the next two months ahead of the new year.
Here is where teams stand at the moment, and which teams have reported their roster moves:
*This post will be updated as teams make their announcements.
Houston Dynamo
Options Exercised: Artur, Griffin Dorsey, Blake Gillingham, Nelson Quiñónes, Brooklyn Raines.
Options Declined: Stephen Annor, Obafemi Awodesu, Ethan Bartlow, Erik Dueñas, Michael Halliday, Sebastian Kowalczyk, Damion Lowe, Sergio Santos, Daniel Steres, Júnior Urso
Expired Contracts: Franco Escobar, Gabe Segal, Andrew Tarbell.
**The club is in talks with Pablo Ortiz and Amine Bassi over future stays.
LA Galaxy
Options Exercised: John Nelson, Mauricio Cuevas, Tucker Lepley, Isaiah Parente, Gino Vivi.
Extended Contracts: Christian Ramirez, Brady Scott.
Options Declined: Miguel Berry, Eriq Zavaleta, Diego Fagúndez.
**The club is talks with Botafogo over a longer stay for Matheus Nascimento. The club is also in talks with Fagundez over a 2026 contract.
CF Montreal
Options Exercised: Brandan Craig, Luca Petrasso, Matty Longstaff.
Options Declined: Fernando Álvarez, Bryce Duke, Giacomo Vrioni.
Terminated Contracts: Tom Pearce.
Real Salt Lake
Options Exercised: Jesus Barea, Noel Caliskan, Alex Katranis, Braian Ojeda, Philip Quinton, Mason Stajduhar, Brayan Vera, Marcos Zambrano.
Options Declined: Forster Ajago, Matthew Bell, Kevon Lambert, Johnny Russell, Tommy Silva, Jude Wellings.
Expired Contracts: William Agada, Zack Farnsworth, Zac MacMath.
*The club is in ongoing discussions with Javain Brown, Kobi Henry, and Sam Junqua.
Sporting KC
Options Exercised: Stephen Afrifa, Zorhan Bassong, Jansen Miller, John Pulskamp
Options Declined: Tim Leibold, Nemanja Radoja, Ryan Schewe, Khiry Shelton, Mason Toye.
Expired Contracts: Andrew Brody, Joaquin Fernandez, Logan Ndenbe, Memo Rodriguez, Erik Thommy, Robert Voloder.
Expired Loans: Alan Montes, Santi Munoz
** The club is in negotiation with Schewe and Munoz
St. Louis CITY SC
Options Exercised: Chris Durkin, Sangbin Jeong, João Klauss, Brendan McSorley, Christian Olivares, Jaziel Orozco, Miguel Perez.
Options Declined: Henry Kessler, Michael Wentzel, Josh Yaro, Rasmus Alm, Alfredo Morales, Akil Watts.
Expired Contracts: Ben Lundt, Selmir Pidro.
Expired Loans: Conrad Wallem, Devin Padelford.
*The club is in talks with Kessler, Lundt, and Yaro over potential new deals. The club is in talks with Wallem and Padelford’s parent clubs over potential moves. The club is also in talks with Joey Zalinsky, Jayden Reid, and Seth Antwi over their futures.
Toronto FC
Exercised Options: Kobe Franklin, Nicksoen Gomis, Malik Henry, Kosi Thompson, Deandre K
Declined Options: Sean Johnson, Kevin Long, Raoul Petretta, Sigurd Rosted, Nathaniel Edwards, Derrick Etienne Jr., Hugo Mbongue, Charlie Sharp.
Expired Loans: Maxime Dominguez.
Exercised Purchase Option: Theo Corbeanu.
**The club remains in contact with multiple players over a potential return for 2026.
Good to see Niko Tsakiris finish the season on high not for San Jose. Hockey assist and game winning goal. A player Arena should build around next season.