MLS returned with a bang during Matchday 1, setting the stage for another action-packed slate on Matchday 2.
Here's what to watch for in the biggest matchups this weekend as the 2026 season marches on.
- WHEN: Saturday, 7:30 pm ET
- WATCH: Apple TV
After falling 1-0 at Vancouver Whitecaps FC on Matchday 1, Real Salt Lake are seeking a bounce-back when they host a Seattle Sounders side coming off a tidy 2-0 home victory over the Colorado Rapids.
For RSL, the injury absence of USMNT midfielder Diego Luna (knee) could create an opportunity for highly-rated US youth international forward Zavier Gozo to shine. The 18-year-old homegrown impressed at the 2025 FIFA U-20 World Cup last fall and posted 4g/3a in 25 league matches last year.
Seattle are also contending with key injuries as they begin a lengthy road trip. Forward Jordan Morris (quad) and midfielder Hassani Dotson (head) each exited Sunday's match, forcing head coach Brian Schmetzer to go down his depth chart.
Paul Rothrock put in a man-of-the-match performance in Morris' stead against Colorado, recording a highlight-reel assist on Seattle's opener and scoring in the second half. Snyder Brunell deputized for Dotson as he looks to become Seattle's latest developmental success story.
- WHEN: Saturday, 9:30 pm ET
- WATCH: Apple TV
Vancouver got off to a winning start with Saturday's 1-0 victory over RSL, courtesy of AZ Jackson's second-half strike, and now return to league play against Canadian rival Toronto FC.
The Whitecaps are led by German superstar Thomas Müller, who joined from Bayern Munich midway through the club's historic 2025 campaign. He joins USMNT midfielder Sebastian Berhalter and striker Brian White as leaders for head coach Jesper Sørensen's side.
Toronto fell 3-2 at FC Dallas last weekend, though showed moxie before conceding a 74th-minute game-winner to Petar Musa. Now, a rivalry win at BC Place could serve as a statement for a side that finished 12th in the Eastern Conference last year.
Djordje Mihailovic looks the part of a centerpiece No. 10, scoring his team's opener against Dallas after recording 4g/4a in 10 games following his blockbuster trade arrival from Colorado last season.
The Reds also seem poised to make a major splash in the transfer market, acquiring USMNT striker Josh Sargent from EFL Championship side Norwich City. He would reportedly arrive for $22 million, making him one of the league's most expensive signings.
- WHEN: Sunday, 7 pm ET
- WATCH: Apple TV
Coming off a 3-0 defeat at LAFC, Lionel Messi and Inter Miami CF hope to course-correct when Orlando City host a Sunday Night Soccer presented by Continental Tire edition of the Florida Derby.
It was a letdown result for the defending MLS Cup champions after an offseason full of blockbuster arrivals, including DP forward Germán Berterame and 2025 MLS Goalkeeper of the Year Dayne St. Clair.
Was Saturday's defeat a sign of an acclimation period as the Herons integrate their new pieces?
Meanwhile, Orlando, are coming off a 2-1 home defeat to a young and hungry Red Bull New York squad. A victory over their arch-rivals could go a long way in getting the season back on the right track for head coach Oscar Pareja's group.
Look for DPs Marco Pašalić and Martín Ojeda to lead the way after they combined for 28g/20a a season ago.
All the while, the Lions are reportedly in discussions with French star Antoine Griezmann. He currently competes for LaLiga side Atlético Madrid, and has long been linked with an MLS move.
