5 Galaxy questions before 2026 MLS opener vs. New York City FC
New year, new Galaxy.
Right?
That’s what everyone around the club is hoping. After a dismal 2025, the Galaxy added pieces in some necessary spots – bringing in defender Jakob Glesnes, defensive midfielder Justin Haak, midfielder Erik Thommy and forward Joao Klauss – but retained the majority of last year’s roster and will look for some young faces to continue their development with a full offseason and training camp.
However, one important piece to the puzzle will be absent again. Riqui Puig will miss a second consecutive season following another ACL surgery.
Are they better prepared to deal with Puig’s absence this season? How much pressure is on the club and coaching staff to deliver?
The early answers to those questions are they should be and yes.
After playing to a 1-1 draw in the opening leg of the CONCACAF Champions Cup opener in Panama against Sporting San Miguelito, the Galaxy head home for a three-game stretch, starting Sunday with their MLS opener against New York City FC, followed by the all-important second leg in Champions Cup and concluding Saturday against Charlotte FC.
One of the goals this season is to get back to that 2024 feeling at home. The Galaxy went 13-0-3 in the regular season at Dignity Health Sports Park. Last season, the club went 7-8-2.
Here is a look at some questions facing the Galaxy heading into the 2026 season:
1. Can they replace Riqui Puig?
That was the question last season and the answer was no. There aren’t many in the league that can duplicate Puig’s movements, runs and performance inside of Greg Vanney’s possession-based system. Diego Fagundez carried a large role last season with six goals in 32 games, but he wasn’t brought back. He is unsigned as of the moment. Unless there is another roster addition, the work in the attacking midfield spot will fall to a number of options: Marco Reus, Thommy, Elijah Wynder and Tucker Lepley. The Galaxy will be wise not to overwork Reus this season. Thommy is currently slowed by injury, as is Wynder.
2. How hot is the hot seat for Greg Vanney?
Vanney received a three-year contract extension last season. The timing of the announcement came as a surprise to many because the club was mired in what would become a 16-game winless streak. This is the first year of the extension, which reportedly made him one of the highest paid coaches in the league. He is the third-longest tenured coach in the league. The extension was a show of faith in Vanney’s system and the project. But every season in MLS is a new season. What happens if things are slow out of the gate? The Galaxy have yet to put together back-to-back playoff seasons under Vanney. In a way, it has been the oddest five years as the club has dealt with a long line of circumstances. The club missed the playoffs in 2021, qualified in 2022, finished near the bottom in 2023, won the MLS Cup in 2024 and slumped back down last year. A bounce-back season, in some form, should be the minimum of expectations this season.
3. Can the Galaxy get defensive?
Defense wins championships, but before the Galaxy can even think about hoisting their seventh MLS Cup, their defense has to improve. The Galaxy allowed 66 goals last season, after allowing “just” 50 in their championship season. Their two biggest offseason moves should help cut down on their defensive lapses. The club traded for Glesnes from the Philadelphia Union and signed Haak. The club has a litany of center backs, with Glesnes joining Maya Yoshida, Emiro Garces and Chris Rindov. Haak can also play on the back line. The challenge will be finding the right pairing, even in the fullback spots with Mauricio Cuevas, John Nelson, Julian Aude, Miki Yamane and Harbor Miller. In the Champions Cup opener, Glesnes and Yoshida started, with Garces coming on late as a sub in the center. Nelson and Cuevas were in the left and right-back spots, respectively. JT Marcinkowski started in goal, with Novak Micovic likely in line to start Sunday’s season opener. However, no matter the additions and combinations, Sporting San Miguelito’s opening goal looked a lot like last year’s issues, with an unmarked attacker getting a free header on goal. The Galaxy recorded just three shutouts in MLS play last season.
4. Who will deliver the goals?
In 2024, in their debut season in Major League Soccer, Joseph Paintsil (14) and Gabriel Pec (19) combined for 36 goals. Last season, the number fell to 17, with Paintsil scoring 10 and Pec adding seven. These two definitely suffered without Puig. The Galaxy added Klauss, who had two 10-goal season with St. Louis CITY SC. The Galaxy forward position produced little last season and Klauss should be able to breathe some life into the position. After that, there are question marks. Matheus Nascimento is back, on another loan deal with Botafogo, but as of now, it ends in June. Last season, he was another young player who had struggles adjusting to MLS and scored just four goals in 22 games. Veteran Christian Ramirez started in the CONCACAF Champions Cup opener, but had his contract bought out Saturday and was waived by the club.
5. Is this a playoff team?
Last year’s team didn’t have the look of a team that should have went through a 16-game winless streak. But somehow it did. Over the second half of the season, the Galaxy showed some life, as evident by their Leagues Cup performance, which secured a spot in the CONCACAF Champions Cup. On the surface, this team should be able to climb the Western Conference standings and secure a spot in the playoffs. By no means is this a perfect group, but there is enough talent in place to make a playoff push.
MLS SEASON OPENER: NEW YORK CITY FC at GALAXY
When: 4 p.m. Sunday
Where: Dignity Health Sports Park
How to watch: Apple TV+ (MLS Season Pass)