Basic Info

• Full Club Name - New York City Football Club
• Nicknames - Pigeons
• Subreddit - /r/NYCFC
• Location - New York City (The Bronx), New York
• Stadium - Yankee Stadium, Citi Field, Red Bull Arena, probably others for USOC
• Head Coach - Pascal Jansen
• Sporting Director - Todd Dunivant
• CEO - Brad Sims
• Captain - Maxi Moralez
• Kits - Primary - Secondary
• Full Schedule

Current Roster

Predicted Healthy Starting XI (4-2-3-1)

Brief Overview of Last Season

2025 Results - 17-12-5 (W-L-T), 56 pts, +6 GD, 5th East and 9th Overall

2025 was a decent step up from 2024 (and even moreso from 2023) for New York City FC, with new manager Pascal Jansen coming in and quickly outperforming his predecessor, Nick Cushing. Despite ending with a disappointing walloping by eventual champs Inter Miami CF in the Eastern Conference finals, it was generally a satisfying season of overachievement for the club.

Alonso Martinez put to rest all doubts as to whether 2024 was a flash in the pan for him, following it up with an equally impressive 2025 that sadly ended with a severe knee injury that will cause him to miss the early portions of the 2026 season - more on that later. Meanwhile, the defense found its footing for the first time in years thanks to the anchoring influence of ironman Justin Haak, who has since departed the club for the LA Galaxy - more on that later too.

The first half of the year was a mixed bag, with the team unable to string together more than two results in a row one way or the other before July, bouncing up and down the mid-to-low table in the Eastern Conference. That changed in rapid fashion starting with the July 16th win over Orlando City SC. From that point forward, the team would lose just one game until late September, going 7-1-1 over the nine game stretch to climb into comfortable playoff position. And despite losing three of their last four to end the regular season, they did enough to secure their post-season spot against Charlotte FC in the first round.

NYCFC would take the first leg in Charlotte, 1-0, giving them the advantage heading home for the second match. But unable to find the back of the net, they'd lose in penalties in a scoreless draw to send the series to a third game. They'd jump to a 2-0 lead before conceding late to give Charlotte some hope, down 2-1 with ten minutes to go. But Nicolas Fernandez Mercau would put it away deep in stoppage time to secure a 3-1 win and advancement.

With expectations exceeded, NYCFC surpassed them further by defeating the Philadelphia Union in the Eastern Conference semifinal, behind a goal from the evergreen Maxi Moralez to see off what has quickly become a meaningful rival to the fanbase. But as most expected, this is where the run would end, as Inter Miami would put down a punishing 5-1 win to end the Pigeons' season.

Elsewhere was general disappointment, as NYCFC were knocked out in their U.S. Open Cup opener, falling to giant-killers Pittsburgh Riverhounds on the road on a stunning late goal. Likewise, the club quickly flamed out of the Leagues Cup - nobody really cared about that though.

Overall, a strong 7/10, maybe light 8/10 season based on expectations heading in.

2026 Offseason Transfers

Incoming Transfers

Outgoing Transfers

Key Players

• Keaton Parks (MID) - No matter the changes NYCFC has gone through year over year, Keaton remains a fixture in the central midfield. His partnership with Aiden O'Neill is an instrumental reason for 2025's latter-half success. The engine room still relies on him maintaining his high level, especially with Andres Perea out for a chunk of the year and questionable depth in midfield.
• Nico Fernandez Mercau (FWD) - Mercau was the clear signing of the season in 2025, coming in and immediately helping revitalize the team's attack en route to that late-season win streak. His positional flexibility and creativity are crucial in unlocking a forward pool that will be missing top-scorer Alonso Martinez for a big portion of the season.
• Talles Magno (FWD) - And speaking of that open forward room, nobody expected Talles Magno to actually return to the club after quite a while loaned out, but back he is. Could he finally figure out how to turn his flashes into consistency with some new creative players around him? If he can, it would be a massive boon to answering how NYCFC will replace Alonso Martinez's goals.

Prognosis for Upcoming Season

Frankly, much of the core of this team remains the same as the end of last year, with two glaring exceptions. NYCFC's attack will surely miss Alonso Martinez, at this point undeniably a top MLS forward, and they'll need to figure out how to replace that production until he can return.

Likewise, the defense and midfield will deeply miss 2025's breakout star, Justin Haak, who departed NYCFC in free agency for the LA Galaxy after playing every single minute for the Pigeons last year. Centerback should be okay, with Raul Gustavo and Thiago Martins largely partnering there. And the midfield has a good pairing in Parks/O'Neill. But Haak had a way of blending the two roles into something more and really being a key part of Pascal Jansen's tactical identity. Can Kai Trewin be an answer there as he comes in from Melbourne City?

Otherwise, you can easily slot in the remaining talent on the field. Maxi Moralez remains captain and the heartbeat of the club, even with more limited time on the field these days, you can never discount his talent. Talles Magno will slot in somewhere in the attack, as the club brings him back, perhaps a little more matured and developed to try and bolster the offense in Martinez's absence. Hannes Wolf and Nico Fernandez Mercau remain massive creative forces in attacking midfield, with Parks and O'Neill covering behind them. And of course, Matt Freese remains a top-tier GK behind the back four, which is rounded out by Tayvon Gray and Kevin O'Toole on the flanks.

For depth, Jonathan Shore showed a healthy capability in central midfield, and Seymour Reid also showed flashes at forward that will likely earn him some more time. Agustin Ojeda is likely the primary winger off the bench, and Nico Cavallo the primary fullback in that role. We could see some more of Maximo Carrizo as the young Homegrown midfielder continues to develop nicely. But the one depth piece everybody hopes to see return is Malachi Jones, the 2024 SuperDraft pick who showed some real flashes at forward before his unfortunate injury.

Best/Worst Case Scenarios

• Best - Talles Magno comes in and helps the attack hold steady until Martinez is ready to return. The solid CB pairing of Martins and Gustavo are helped by Trewin's addition and the team is able to tactically adjust to the absence of Haak without a hitch. With the rest of the team largely consistent, the form of the second half of 2025 continues and City can ride a hot start until their big-time forward returns and perhaps pushes them up another level.

• Worst - Magno is exactly who he was when he left and the offense falters without a true goal-scoring threat. Likewise, Haak proves as hard to replace as he seemed, and the defense needs time to figure itself out without him. A slow start puts massive pressure on Jansen to staunch the bleeding with tactical shifts, but it's hard to work around, and as a result City flounders south of the playoff line and hopes for a better 2027 with a new stadium and new schedule.

Online Resources

Official Links: Website

Subreddit: /r/NYCFC