Opponent Insight: 2026 Season Opener at Austin FC

The 2026 MLS season kicks off tomorrow (21 February) and the 34 game slate is a preview of what to expect in years to come with the schedule change. A 15 match sprint, ending in May for the Loons followed by a summer break, before the teams re-start after the World Cup.

To kick off the season we've connected with our friends in Austin over at Verde All Day for the first Opponent Insight of the season. We had the questions and Phil West provided us with the answers.

Ashle Paige: Joseph Rosales is one of very few players to join Austin FC this season. Has there been a reason behind the small amount of moves this season and what is your reaction to transferring in Rosales? 

Phil West: There hasn't been the exodus at the end of the '25 season that there was at the end of the '24 season because the team got better with moves that sporting director Rodolfo Borrell made, so there honestly wasn't as much to do. Rosales was a surprise, given that we already have All-Star Guilherme Biro at left back and Žan Kolmanič as a solid backup/late-game free kick specialist, but we saw it as a floor-raising move. (Also a little concerned about the alleged racist incident with Vancouver's Emmanuel Sabbi, as Verde fans are generally sensitive about that, but so far he seems to be a solid addition to the team and I feel like we're collectively granting him some grace.) That said, it's a little puzzling that head coach Nico Estévez has been playing him as a winger all preseason.

AP: The preseason was a bit rough for Austin FC racking up three losses and a draw in four matches against MLS opponents. Does that make you, the fans, or the club worried about the regular season?

PW: Inside of me are two wolves. One wolf is worried that Verde collectively lost 7-2 to MLS teams over four matches, and lost by a collective 5-0 in the three of those matches we got to see with our own eyes. The other wolf believes that Estévez was using the preseason as a creative canvas to work out some game state ideas, rather than "cohesively play a full 90." We really only saw them take the brakes off the offense for the first half of the final preseason match against SKC, and they looked good there (but couldn't score and let in a goal on a lone defensive lapse, which is sort of the Austin way.) Also, Myrto Uzuni and Facundo Torres were injured most of the preseason, Owen Wolff has missed all of preseason recovering from sports hernia surgery, and linchpin fullback Mikkel Desler has also been out all preseason. (Both Wolff and Desler will be out for this one.) You're likely catching Verde at a good time, as they're out two of their most consistent players, but also, they're better than preseason has shown them to be. 

AP: After last season and the multiple meetings between MNUFC & Austin, where would you say Minnesota stands on the rivalry ranking, especially against your fellow Texas clubs?

The U.S. Open Cup semifinal win against the Loons is in the club's top five all-time wins, and I believe that match made the rivalry keener. Dallas and Houston will also be the biggest rivals, and San Jose and Austin have developed a spicy rivalry which also got fueled this Open Cup run. Austin also has beef with both L.A. teams — LAFC, because they seem to knock us out of tournaments a lot, and the Galaxy, because their head coach Greg Vanney really has it in for Biro just because of a totally reasonable foul on Riqui Puig a month before he got his career-changing knee injury. I think you're with San Jose on the "Oh, it's you again, let's go" tier (but, again, your fans are great, and I think we're in a mutual respect zone). 

Also, on a personal note, the Black Hart is a national treasure, I love Prince (even his experiments gone awry), and I plan on hugging all the Loons fans I see who actually want to be hugged. Speaking for Austin, we see you and love you. As y'all are fond of saying, "Drink 90 drink." 

You can read the corresponding piece where Ashle answers Phil's questions here. MNUFC's match at Austin FC kicks off tomorrow at 7:30pm and can be watched on Apple TV or heard over the radio on 1500 ESPN.