New York City FC are in Florida preparing for the 2026 season and have spoken with the media officially for the first time. Head coach Pascal Jansen shared his thoughts on 2025, his first full year in Major League Soccer. With experience now on his side, the club looks to continue their forward momentum after making it all the way to the Eastern Conference Final.
“I think the biggest lesson and the biggest takeaway is that we were on the right path throughout last season,” said Jansen to the media. “You could see that the team was growing game-by-game. In the final stage of the season we were still very competitive, and that brought us all the way to the Eastern Conference Final.”
While it may seem like a major accomplishment for a team that failed to qualify for the playoffs just two seasons prior, Jansen and his staff look at the lack of silverware as a fault of last season, especially with three opportunities in the league, US Open Cup and Leagues Cup.
“There were no prizes won at the end of the journey last season. That is something we’ll try to do better this season. We’ve convinced that we have taken the right road and are headed in the right direction to be successful and stay competitive again this season.”
That success will depend heavily on whether the club can compensate for the loss of the team’s top goal scorer Alonso Martinez. His playoff injury will more than likely see him miss a majority of 2026, sending the team scrambling for options in front of goal. One positive is the return of Talles Magno, who finished up his loan agreement in Brazil and now hopes to make himself an important part of the club under Jansen.
The return of Maxi Moralez as a team leader should also guide some of the younger players who got playoff experience last year. The loss of Justin Haak will surely be felt but the club has moved on in the past as they look to rely on their developmental team to fill in gaps.
“They are coming in hungry,” said team captain Thiago Martins about the club. “They are doing their best every single day, working hard every single day to be part of this team and to be a part of the locker room. We, the more experienced players, need to help them; to talk to them every single time, for them to adjust quicker and understand the way Pascal wants to play.”
NYC will start their 2026 campaign on the road in Los Angeles against the Galaxy. They will open up their home campaign on March 7th against Orlando City at Yankee Stadium, the last full season at the venue as 2027 presents the opening of Etihad Park in Queens.
photo from NYCFC