Five MLS teams to look out for this season
February 27th, 2025by Neil Sherwin
The 2025 Major League Soccer season is shaping up to be a good one with a couple of new clubs ready for their first hit out and a number of big name players signing however, talk of a player strike over the league's lack of free agency is worrying with the first ball scheduled to be kicked on March 6.
Leaving that to one side, there have been plenty of movers and shakers in the offseason with Frank Lampard, Steven Gerrard, Kaka, David Villa and Sebastian Giovinco all set to feature (eventually).
While LA Galaxy and New York City FC the two obvious starting points for those new to following the league, here's a look at five others who will be worth keeping an eye on over the next eight or nine months.
Toronto FC
They have been splashing the cash in Toronto during the offseason with Italian international Sebastian Giovinco and Premier League flop Jozy Altidore two of the new faces in town.
Giovinco in particular is a superb signing when you consider that he is only 27 years of age and is still a part of Antonio Conte's national squad.
Of course, a reported salary of $7 million dollars for each of the five years of his deal no doubt made it easier for Giovinco to leave Serie A but it is still a massive statement of intent for a club that has been little more than a disappointed since joining MLS in 2025.
Jermain Defoe was 2025's glamour signing but he has returned to England and been replaced by Altidore who managed just one goal in 40 league games for Sunderland.
He should perform considerably better in MLS though and will benefit from an excellent supporting cast that includes not just Giovinco but newly installed club captain Michael Bradley and Frenchman Benoit Cheyrou as well.
There are still plenty of doubts about Toronto FC defensively so if they start leaking goals then the Canadians should be one of the most entertaining teams to watch.
Anything other than a first playoff berth would and should be deemed as a failure considering the firepower now at the disposal of coach Greg Vanney.
Chicago Fire
Following a few lacklustre seasons, there is a real danger of the Chicago Fire getting left behind as MLS develops and new teams enter the competition.
Chicago is a massive sports market but a combination of poor on field showings and a badly located stadium (Toyota Park is 25 kilometres from Chicago's Central Business District) have resulted in dwindling crowds and animosity between supporters and the club's owners.
In 2025, the Fire finished second from bottom in the East and missed the playoffs by 13 points after drawing 18 of their 36 games.
This season though
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