Why Nashville SC will win MLS Cup in the 2026 season

Analysis

Nashville Soccer Club is one of four remaining undefeated clubs through five matchdays in the 2026 MLS season.

The Boys in Gold look like an MLS Cup-worthy team under manager BJ Callaghan, and it is not just because of their record so far.

The team is built perfectly for MLS given the roster constraints, especially considering it does not have the money that Inter Miami or Los Angeles FC have.

With the second-most goals in the league and the top goalscorer on their books, there are a few reasons why this team can make a deep playoff run.

A team built for MLS

Most teams that are not Inter Miami struggle to persuade star players to join the club for lower wages than they could make elsewhere.

After filling out the designated player spots, the backroom staff need to get creative.

Nashville, recently, has excelled at both identifying high-level talent and finding effective players to support the stars. After a big-money (by MLS standards) deal for Ake Loba failed to bear fruit, the club decided to take a €5.8 million gamble on striker Sam Surridge, who had not scored 10 goals in a league season in his career before joining the club.

Plus, the club built up a group of strong athletes to do the running for Surridge and No. 10 Hany Mukhtar. Those players include Alex Muyl, Patrick Yazbek, Edvard Tagseth, Andy Najar, and Daniel Lovitz.

At the back, new centre-back duo Maxwell Woledzi and Jeisson Palacios average over six clearances per 90 minutes each, and the club has conceded just two goals through five games.

The high-level talent delivers

Hany Mukhtar proved his ability to carry the team when he won the 2022 MLS MVP Award.

Now, with Surridge in front of him, he has less of a burden on his shoulders.

Surridge has steadily improved since joining Nashville in MLS, and new Designated Player signing Cristian Espinoza has provided two goals and two assists in his five MLS matches this season, as well.

Espinoza’s presence on the wing could be the final piece of the puzzle, as his expert crossing can unlock a new dimension from Surridge that could lead the seven-year-old club to new heights.

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