With 30 teams in MLS, there's no shortage of tactical ideas and nuances to be found. Truly, it’s one of my absolute favorite things about the league.
That will be especially apparent in 2026 when nine teams are led by a new head coach (for those keeping track, that's 30% of MLS!).
Yes, several of the faces are familiar from past stints in MLS. But managerial turnover hasn’t exactly been rare, and teams will have unique set-ups.
With Matchday 1 fast approaching, let’s spotlight the nine newcomers to learn more about their backgrounds and tactical approaches.
Tata Martino
He’s baaaaaack.
Tata Martino, who was on the sidelines when Atlanta won MLS Cup 2018, will reprise his role as the Five Stripes' manager after leading Inter Miami to a historic Supporters' Shield title two seasons ago.
During the Argentine's first time in charge of Atlanta, the club averaged 55.6% possession across two seasons. Though Miguel Almirón and Emmanuel Latte Lath both thrive in transition, we should expect Atlanta to control big chunks of games with the ball while still providing vertical passing options to those two Designated Players.
We might not see much pressing from Atlanta right out of the gates, but the expectation should be more cohesion in every phase of play compared to last year.
Henrik Rydström
“Not a revolution, but an evolution."
That’s how the Columbus Crew’s players have described the shift from Wilfried Nancy’s tactical approach to that of new manager Henrik Rydström.
The 50-year-old, who won two league titles with Malmö FF in Sweden’s top tier, shares a similar appetite for dominating the ball and probing into the opposition’s defensive shape.
Still, Rydström encourages even more fluidity between his players in attack, giving them license to shift across the width of the field. We’re also likely to see a slight increase in direct attacking play from the Crew under their new stewardship.
Matt Wells
Matt Wells, the latest assistant coach at a big-time Premier League club to join MLS after Eric Ramsay followed the same path to Minnesota United, arrives in Colorado after working at Tottenham Hotspur. It's the 37-year-old's first job as a senior team manager.
Wells, who coached alongside Ange Postecoglou at Spurs, is likely to instill a more possession-oriented style with the Rapids. He wants to “dominate” opponents and calls his game model a “big change” from the more transitional approach used by now-former head coach Chris Armas.
Expect to see more short passing and controlled play in the final third from Colorado in 2026.
Marc Dos Santos
After serving as an assistant on Steve Cherundolo’s staff, Marc Dos Santos is back in the head coach’s chair for the first time since exiting the Vancouver Whitecaps in 2021. The Canadian brings a wide range of experience, spanning from MLS to lower divisions domestically and abroad. Most crucially for LAFC, though, is Dos Santos’ ability to provide continuity.
With an incredibly talented roster that made the Western Conference Semifinals last season and will only benefit from a full season of Son Heung-Min, Dos Santos won’t need to change much for LAFC to be successful. They’ll have the flexibility to deploy either a back three or a back four, to play with either a front two or a front three, and to toggle between transition and more sustained possession.
Cameron Knowles
The interim manager before Eric Ramsay arrived in 2024, and now the permanent manager following Ramsay’s departure for West Brom in the EFL Championship, Cameron Knowles is a familiar face to Minnesota United fans.
Under the 43-year-old’s direction, many of the Loons’ well-known tactical principles will remain: they’ll still emphasize set pieces, compact defending, and aggressive transition play. However, we’re likely to see at least a bit more patience on the ball – especially with Colombian superstar James Rodríguez in town as Minnesota’s new No. 10.
How exactly MNUFC blend old principles and new ones will be incredibly fascinating to watch.
Marko Mitrović
Formerly in charge of the United States U-20s and Olympic team, Marko Mitrović is the latest highly regarded US youth national team coach to take a post in MLS. Plus, with his time as an assistant coach for the Chicago Fire, the rhythms of the professional game won’t be new to him.
With his US teams, Mitrović tended to use a possession-oriented approach out of a back-four shape. Given Carles Gil’s presence at the No. 10, a 4-2-3-1 shape seems the most likely setup for the new-look New England Revolution.
So far, New England's signings have centered around USYNT players Mitrović previously worked with. In particular, midfielder Brooklyn Raines and winger Griffin Yow seem poised for key roles.
Michael Bradley
Red Bull New York are entering a new stylistic era, with Michael Bradley on the sidelines and head of sport Julian de Guzman resetting expectations in the front office.
“We’ve always played 4-2-2-2, in transition and go direct. It’s worked out to some degree, but it needs a refresh,” de Guzman told The Athletic. “It relates to how I enjoyed in my playing career, especially in LaLiga. I like to play football, and I want to see more of that.”
With Bradley in his first head coaching position at the first-team level, there are several unknowns about what lies ahead for RBNY. Still, with the American soccer legend's years around the game at the highest levels and the coaching expertise that surrounded him from a young age, thanks to his renowned father Bob Bradley, he's not exactly starting with a blank canvas.
Bradley expertly led New York to an MLS NEXT Pro title in 2025 and, based on offseason signings like Cade Cowell and Jorge Ruvalcaba, a 4-3-3 shape seems likely.
Raphaël Wicky
In Raphaël Wicky, Sporting Kansas City have their first non-interim coach of the club's post-Peter Vermes era.
Wicky returns to MLS after winning a league title with Young Boys in Switzerland. And while things didn’t go well for the 48-year-old with the Chicago Fire in the early 2020s, it’s difficult to draw real conclusions since he didn't have a strong roster at his disposal.
With a slow offseason for Sporting KC, it may take Wicky a little while to truly demonstrate his tactical vision. Still, Wicky shared some of his preferred approach last month.
“I like to have the ball rather than not have the ball, but if we don't have the ball, I like my teams to be aggressive, to be uncomfortable to play with,” he told MLSsoccer.com.
In time, there may be an on-field refresh for SKC.
Yoann Damet
Still the youngest person to coach an MLS game (at age 29), thanks to time as FC Cincinnati’s interim manager in 2019, Yoann Damet is part of a directional shift in St. Louis.
Most recently, the Frenchman coached alongside Wilfried Nancy in Columbus, and he will bring more detailed possession principles to his new Western Conference home.
We’ve already seen a back three from St. Louis CITY in preseason, one that featured patient buildup and plenty of short passing. If St. Louis’ new style can unlock Marcel Hartel and the rest of the squad, they could be a dark-horse Audi MLS Cup Playoffs team this season.
