Rejoice! The 2026 MLS season is here, and the New England Revolution are heading to GEODIS Park to take on Nashville SC in their first regular season match under head coach Marko Mitrović. Set to kick off at 8:30 p.m. ET on Saturday night, this Revolution squad is eager to make a statement start to the year.
WHERE TO WATCH
The entire 2026 MLS season is available to stream live on Apple TV.
Watch: Apple TV
Apple TV English Talent: Tony Husband (Play-by-Play), Ross Smith (Analyst)
Apple TV Spanish Talent: Francisco X. Rivera (Play-by-Play)
Listen: 98.5 The Sports Hub (WBZ-FM); 1260 AM Nossa Radio USA
English Radio Talent: Brad Feldman (Play-by-Play), Charlie Davies (Analyst)
CURRENT FORM
New England Revolution
11th in 2025 Eastern Conference (9-16-9, 36 pts.)
The Revolution are coming off a successful preseason camp, focused on adapting to the vision of new head coach Marko Mitrović. With Dor Turgeman arriving late last year and five additional signings joining ahead of the 2026 season in JD Gunn, Cristiano Oliveira, Ethan Kohler, Brooklyn Raines, and Griffin Yow, the team worked to sharpen on-field chemistry in a locker room consistently described as tight-knit. With an injection of youth and unity under Mitrović’s leadership, the Revs are aiming to start the season strong with determination to improve on the recent past.
While the previous two campaigns didn’t meet expectations for New England, a new coaching staff and style of play may be just what this squad needs to rediscover their winning form. Historically, Nashville and New England have been evenly matched, with a 3-3-5 record across all competitions since Nashville’s arrival to the league in 2020. Although it can always take time for a team to fully align under a new coach’s philosophy, New England are eager to take on their first MLS test Saturday night.
Nashville SC
6th in 2025 Eastern Conference (16-12-6, 54 pts.)
Nashville are coming off a strong 2025 season which saw them finish 6th in the Eastern Conference table, be crowned Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup champions, and tie their club points record for a single season. While they made it to the MLS Cup Playoffs, their postseason run was cut short with a loss in the first round of the competition against eventual champions Inter Miami CF.
Nashville will host the Revolution at GEODIS Park riding the momentum of a 2-0 win in their first 2026 Concacaf Champions Cup match against Canadian Premier League champions, Atlético Ottawa, this past Tuesday night. While the Boys in Gold will provide a challenge for the Revs, they sandwich their first MLS regular season match in a busy stretch of play, preparing for their second leg against Ottawa on Tuesday, February 24.
KEY PLAYERS
Revolution striker Leo Campana
Leo Campana enters the 2026 campaign riding high from a preseason full of goals. The Revolution forward found himself on the scoresheet five times through five friendly matches over the six weeks of preparation. Campana entered the preseason campaign with a new energy, motivated by his World Cup hopes with Ecuador and frankly, dissatisfaction with his own 2025 form.
Although Campana was the second-highest scoring player for the Revolution last season, with seven goals and one assist, he was plagued by injuries and struggled to maintain consistent playing time. Starting 2026 feeling stronger than ever, Campana is expected to have a standout season for New England.
Nashville forward Sam Surridge
Sam Surridge is undoubtedly one of Nashville’s largest attacking threats. The forward led the Music City team in goals last season and was tied with LAFC’s Denis Bouanga as the league’s second-highest scoring player with 24 goals.
Surridge enters 2026 with the same high expectations, bolstered in the attack by midfielder Hany Mukhtar and Nashville’s newest signing, midfielder Cristian Espinoza, who tallied 70 total assists for his former San Jose Earthquakes in his seven seasons with the club. The trio have already shown their capabilities in Nashville’s recent Champions Cup match, as they combined for a Mukhtar to Espinoza to Surridge goal to seal the victory.
HEAR FROM THE REVS
Head coach Marko Mitrović on what to expect from Nashville SC this weekend:
“First of all, Nashville is a team that is very well-coached. I appreciate [Nashville SC Head Coach] B.J. Callaghan, he is a friend of mine and I really appreciate him as a coach. He’s a very organized person and has a high knowledge about the game. I think that he showed in the last 18 months how he transformed Nashville into one of the best teams in the Eastern Conference, obviously together with the club and the people who support him. They have a clear identity on the field, both in and out of possession. We are expecting, again, based on everything I said, one very well-organized team and a great challenge for us.”
Mitrović on the team’s mentality ahead of the season opener:
“It’s really a group of guys, and I’ve said this quite a few times so far, that's humble in a good way. It’s a working group that is ready and open to receiving new things and trying to implement that immediately on the field. We are happy. Every meeting we have, we get on the field and whatever is addressed, the guys are trying immediately to implement that. It has been a very positive five to six weeks so far with the team.”
Midfielder Carles Gil on 2026 expectations:
(Translated from Spanish)
“We will see how each game goes. The first is to win in Nashville. That’s what is closest to us and what we have to focus on, the first game. Then we’ll assess how our team performs in each game. We want to be at the top of the table. But we’re coming off two down years, and we need to show it on the field.”
