Real Salt Lake Kicks off 2026 Campaign Saturday at Vancouver Whitecaps FC
Several New Roster Additions Expected to Make RSL/MLS Debuts This February;
RSL Looking for Third Win in Last Five Visits to BC Place on Saturday;
Claret-and-Cobalt Hoping to Snap Two-Year Road Opener Losing Streak;
America First Field Portion of 2026 Slate Kicks Off Next Saturday, Feb. 28, at 5:30p MT;
Tickets Available at www.RSL.com/tickets
HERRIMAN, Utah (Friday, Feb. 20, 2026) – RSL arrives at Saturday’s Major League Soccer 2026 “First Kick” contest in Vancouver towards the defending Western Conference champions to kick off its 22n.d. MLS marketing campaign, with a 5:30p MT kickoff out there on Apple TV.
With a end result Saturday at BC Place, RSL would safe factors for the third time in its final 5 journeys to Vancouver (wins in 2023 and 2024, losses in 2022 and 2025, all by a 2-1 scoreline). Sixth-year Head Coach Pablo Mastroeni‘s aspect then returns house to kick off its 2026 America First Field marketing campaign on the Wasatch Front subsequent Saturday, Feb. 28 with a 5:30p MT kickoff towards Seattle Sounders FC, the long-time West rival which has not gained on Utah soil since 2012. Tickets out there NOW for the 2026 house opener at www.RSL.com/tickets.
RSL returns to BC Place Saturday trying to snap a two-game street dropping streak in MLS season openers (losses at San Jose final yr and at Miami in 2024), with RSL looking for to safe its third street end in its final 5 yearly kickoffs away (RSL gained at Vancouver in 2023, a comeback 2-1 win with targets from Justen Glad and Damir Kreilach, whereas drawing 0-0 at Houston in 2022).
This weekend’s RSL contest is accessible by way of Apple TV, with Keith Costigan and Maurice Edu (ENG) on the decision, as is Raul Guzman (SPN). Iconic RSL voice David James and former MLS goalkeeper Jay Nolly will name the sport for KSL Sports Radio (1160 AM / 97.5 FM), with Nelson Moran now in his 22n.d. RSL season as RSL’s Spanish radio voice on KBMG Latino 106.3 FM.
With one other 2026 postseason berth this November, RSL would lengthen its West-best energetic playoff streak to 6 consecutive seasons (Orlando enters 2026 with six straight within the East), the Claret-and-Cobalt having superior to the postseason in seven of the final eight seasons and 15 of the final 18 years, its near-perennial placement lacking out solely within the 2015, 2017 and 2020 campaigns.
This yr, Mastroeni and workers have elected to make a tactical change from the final two seasons, selecting a again three setup with wingbacks on each the appropriate and left, attacking and defending in a 3-5-2 formation, a departure from the earlier 4-2-3-1 that anticipated the left again (sometimes DF Alex Katranis) to maraud up and down the left aspect within the recreation mannequin’s most demanding place.
The new-look setup provides the central midfield No. 10 keys to Diego Luna (USA), beneath a pair of strikers Victor Olatunji (Nigeria) and Morgan Guilavogui (Guinea). RSL Homegrown and USA U-20 standout Zavier Gozo options at proper wingback on this setup, though he can play any of the 4 attacking positions, with Guilavogui additionally offering multi-positional flexibility.
Opposite Gozo over on the left wing within the first-choice XI is Uruguayan World Cup hopeful Juan Manuel Sanabriathe most costly non-DP in RSL historical past, bought weeks in the past from Atlético San Luis (Liga MX). RSL retains the double-pivot in midfield, with major decisions of skilled Dutch arrival Stijn Spierings (previously Brøndby IF) and injured Emeka Eneli (knee) changed this week by third-year stalwart Noel Caliskan and RSL homegrown Luca Moisapoised to make his MLS debut.
The three-man backline options longtime RSL veteran and homegrown poster boy Justen Glad – now trailing solely Club luminaries Nick Rimando and Kyle Beckerman in video games, begins and minutes performed – flanked by newcomer Lukas Engel on the left and two-time US World Cup choice DeAndre Yedlin on the appropriate. Engel and Yedlin paired nicely on and off the sphere final yr with FC Cincinnati, the place Engel – a Danish participant beforehand owned by Middlesbrough (EFL Championship) – performed 41 video games on mortgage to the East energy… RSL acquired Yedlin by way of commerce at the summer time window shut in 2025, the veteran’s management, flexibility, poise and regular excellence on show throughout the remaining eight video games final yr.
In purpose, RSL “Iron Man” GK Rafael Cabral – who wore the armband for 23 consecutive video games final yr since Emeka Eneli’s May 24 damage – was the lone participant to start out every of RSL’s 40 video games throughout a number of competitions in his debut yr in MLS/Utah, taking part in every one of many 3,600 out there minutes in 2025, together with his historic penalty-kick shootout efficiency in July towards Club América.
Mastroeni welcomes two new coaches to his bench in 2025, with third-year assistant Anthony Pulis elevated and elevated Jamal Campbell-Ryce (Real Monarchs assistant, 2024/25; former EPL / EFL participant) and Fredric Brillant (former NYCFC participant, former Utah Royals FC assistant) becoming a member of RSL. GK Coach Mirza Harambasic stays on workers together with lead Video Analyst Rob Rogersthe group trying to attain the heights of 2024, when RSL delivered its Club-best marketing campaign of 59 factors from 34 video games and 65 targets scored.
Last Friday, RSL concluded its 2026 preseason slate with a 3-3 attract Palm Springs, Calif., towards the LA Galaxy. RSL noticed targets scored by homegrown FW Zavier Gozonewcomer Juan Manuel Sanabriaand US Men’s National Team standout Diego Luna. Earlier within the journey. RSL drew 1-1 with USL Championship aspect Orange County SC, with Gozo additionally notching a purpose in that match. Overall, RSL completed the preseason with a 2W-1L-2T file, defeating a pair of Danish Superliga sides in The Atlantic Cup tourney in Portugal, each by 2-1 scorelines. The Algarve finale was additionally the positioning of RSL’s lone preseason loss, 0-2, to fellow MLS aspect FC Dallas.
Fans can tune into Saturday’s match towards Vancouver Whitecaps with an AppleTV subscription that may be discovered here. Season ticket and four-game packages NOW AVAILABLE at www.RSL.com/tickets.
