Why the final MLS season at Yankee Stadium could be special for NYCFC

New York City FC will open Etihad Park in Queens in 2027, ending their baseball field era, but will 2026 be a home run for the Boys in Blue? The team will start the upcoming season this Sunday and will aim to have a better year compared to the previous campaign. Despite relatively low expectations, the Pigeons performed really well in 2025.

How did New York City FC fare in 2025?

In Pascal Jansen's first year as the head coach, the Bronx side finished fifth in the Eastern Conference, after respectably winning about half of their regular-season games.

Then, in the playoffs, NYCFC ousted Charlotte FC in the first round, thanks to a pair of road wins in North Carolina, before dumping out Supporters' Shield winners Philadelphia Union. Maxi Moralez scored the match-winner in Pennsylvania. However, the Boys in Blue were denied a second MLS Cup appearance, demolished 5-1 by Inter Miami CF in the Conference Final, a disappointing conclusion to an otherwise productive campaign.

NYCFC's first 6 MLS fixture of 2026

• LA Galaxy - Dignity Health Sports Park. Sunday 22 February. 7pm (ET).

• Philadelphia Union - Subaru Park. Sunday 1 March. 4:30pm (ET).

• Orlando City SC - Yankee Stadium. Saturday 7 March. 2:30pm (ET).

• Colorado Rapids - Yankee Stadium. Saturday 14 March. 6:30pm (ET).

• Inter Miami CF - Yankee Stadium. Sunday 22 March. Noon (ET).

• St. Louis City SC - Citi Field. Saturday 4 April. 7:30pm (ET).

NYCFC transfer activity

This is going to be a pretty short segment, given that it has been a mostly quiet offseason in the Big Apple to date.

NYCFC offseason departures

NYCFC offseason arrivals

So far, there have been very minimal squad changes in New York during this primary transfer window. Center-back Kai Trewin is the only new senior recruit, arriving from Melbourne City FC in the A-League, also owned by CFG, of course. The Australian international, who debuted for the Socceroos in November, is a center-back or defensive midfielder, which addresses an area of need in this squad.

However, Trewin is the only new experienced face in Jansen's roster. Designated Player Talles Magno has returned following a loan spell at SC Corinthians Paulista, with the Brasileirão side opting not to sign him permanently. The 23-year-old has been a key figure for NYCFC in the past, but the hierarchy was seemingly hoping to go in a different direction in terms of DPs. This team neither boasts high-profile names nor very many outstanding youngsters as they once did.

Predictions for NYCFC in 2026

NYCFC finished fifth in the Eastern Conference last year and, following an uneventful primary transfer window, will probably end up around there again, potentially a little lower. They do boast the USMNT's starting goalkeeper Matt Freese, but top-scorer Alonso Martínez, who netted 21 times in 2025, is set to miss all of this season following ACL surgery in December.

That is a major blow, given that Hannes Wolf was their only other squad member to bag six or more goals. Nevertheless, this team is still pretty solid, while Jansen is one of the highest-rated managers in Major League Soccer. Thus, as NYCFC bids farewell to Yankee Stadium, as well as occasionally Citi Field, of course, they should be targeting a home playoff series and then, once in the postseason, who knows?