What does the preseason roster tell fans about the 2026 NYCFC team?

New York City FC has begun the preseason as the team prepares for the 2026 campaign. In the last few days, some announcements were made, like the re-signing of Maxi Moralez. In addition, the Boys in Blue will travel across the country to play in five matches. But then on Monday, the club announced the preseason roster.

Notably, the majority of the roster is listed, and there are some NYCFC II players, academy players, and draft picks. Even the recently injured players, Alonso Martínez and Andrés Perea, are with the team. More than likely, the medical, training, and physio staff are all with the team as they travel for the preseason. Hence, it makes sense that they are still traveling with the squad.

The other two players who have been out injured, Malachi Jones and Keaton Parks, are hopefully ready to go for the preseason or close to making a full return. But what else does the roster tell us?

NYCFC's preseason roster is revealing

So, it feels like NYCFC just likes to have four goalkeepers. All of the keepers are on the preseason roster, and there is no indication that Tomás Romero or Greg Ranjitsingh will be leaving at the moment. Of course, Matt Freese is not going anywhere, and why would he make a change when he is the starter for the USMNT? Consistency in a World Cup year is vital.

Still, since it is before the actual MLS campaign, NYCFC really wanted fans to know that they like goalkeepers. That is probably why they brought NYCFC II's Brennan Klein to join the squad for the preseason.

Speaking about NYCFC II players, and also those from the academy, the Pigeons also brought along defender Kieran Smith and midfielder Luka Sunjic. Smith is 17 and a part of the academy, while Sunjic is 17 and with NYCFC II. The two young players will get valuable experience with the first team.

Plus, two draft picks are on the roster: Kevin Pierre and Arnau Farnos. Pierre is the only player from the 2026 MLS SuperDraft. Farnos was picked in the previous draft but opted to return to Oregon State University for another year. It is intriguing, though, that the other three picks from this season are not with the team at all.

Meanwhile, NYCFC revealed there are two players not with the team. Zidane Yañez did not travel to Florida, but the reason why is unknown. However, the Bronx side was honest about right-back Mitja Ilenič. The defender, who was considered a player who could leave before the 2026 season, is seeking a transfer, and the club is negotiating a possible move. As previously mentioned, his playing time declined significantly in the second half of the season, and Tayvon Gray became the starting right-back. Hence, with Ilenič's talent, it is not shocking.

Ideally, there will be a player or two that is added to this preseason roster. NYCFC needs to make some signings or trades to help bolster the defense and attack. But for now, the roster is set, and fans learned a lot from the names that traveled down to Florida.