NASHVILLE, Tenn. (February 21, 2026) – The New England Revolution (0-1-0; 0 pts.) kicked off the 2026 MLS regular season with a 4-1 defeat at Nashville SC (1-0-0; 3 pts.) on Saturday night at GEODIS Park. Forward Leonardo Campana scored New England's first goal of the campaign, assisted by Carles Gil and Tanner Beason, while three of the Revolution's offseason acquisitions made their club debuts.
As the new season got underway, the hosts controlled the early possession and gave New England its first test just before the two-minute mark. Goalkeeper Matt Turner, starting an MLS opener for the fourth time in his career, pawed away a headed shot from Sam Surridge. Surridge finished his next chance in the fifth minute, when a corner kick caromed inside the box and fell kindly to the Englishman, who poked it past Turner. Surridge then doubled Nashville's lead in the 16th minute.
The Revolution settled into the match and produced their first dangerous chance in the 27th minute, set up by Gil. The captain, starting his eighth MLS campaign, fired a cross into the stride of Campana, but the ball took a difficult hop at the last moment, forcing the Ecuadorian's shot over the bar. Nashville regained momentum before halftime with their third goal in the 39th minute, when a deflected cross fell into the path of Hany Mukhtar, who blasted a shot into the roof of the net.
New England struck back early in the second half, finding their first goal of the year through Campana in the 47th minute. Beason, who came on as a concussion substitute for Will Sands late in the first half, touched a pass to Gil along the left flank. The Spaniard centered a cross to Campana, who chested the ball to his feet and drove a shot inside the post. The momentum was short lived, as Nashville's Warren Madrigal buried a rebound in the 49th minute.
Saturday's contest saw the club debuts of New England's new trio of young Americans acquired in the offseason, as Griffin Yow, Ethan Kohler, and Brooklyn Raines all earned starts. Defender Andrew Farrell played all 90 minutes at center back to begin his club-record 14th season in New England, paired in the middle with Keegan Hughes.
The Revolution will look for their first points of the new season next Saturday, Feb. 28, on the road at Red Bull New York for a 2:30 p.m. ET kickoff at Sports Illustrated Stadium. Every Revolution match airs on **Apple TV** (English and Spanish), 98.5 The Sports Hub (WBZ-FM), and 1260 AM Nossa Radio USA (Portuguese).
MATCH NOTES
- New England played its season opener away at Nashville SC for a second straight season. This marks the 18th consecutive season and 30th time in 31 years New England has opened the regular season on the road.
- Head Coach Marko Mitrović made his MLS coaching debut on Saturday.
- Ethan Kohler logged his MLS debut, one of three starters making their club debut along with Brooklyn Raines and Griffin Yow.
- Leo Campana opened his account for 2026, building off a five-goal preseason with his first tally of the campaign.
- Carles Gil recorded his first assist of the season, extending his club record to 88 career helpers – the most among active players in MLS.
- Andrew Farrell made his first MLS start since July 17, 2024.
- Will Sands made his 50th MLS appearance, starting at left back before exiting the game with a head injury late in the first half.
- Tanner Beason replaced Sands, logging 46 minutes off the bench and earning a secondary assist on Campana’s opening goal – the fourth helper of his MLS career.
GAME CAPSULE
Revolution Match #1
New England Revolution 1 at Nashville SC 4
February 21, 2026 – GEODIS Park (Nashville, Tenn.)
Referee:Â Tori Penso
Assistant Referee:Â Kathryn Nesbitt
Assistant Referee:Â Meghan Mullen
Fourth Official:Â Jon Freemon
Video Asst. Referee:Â Ramy Touchan
Assistant VAR: Cameron Blanchard
Weather:Â 43 degrees and partly cloudy
Scoring Summary:
NSH – Sam Surridge 1 (Warren Madrigal 1) 6’
NSH – Sam Surridge 2 (Eddi Tagseth 1) 16’
NSH – Hany Mukhtar 1 (Warren Madrigal 2) 39’
NE – Leo Campana 1 (Carles Gil 1, Tanner Beason 1) 47’
NSH – Warren Madrigal 1 (Unassisted) 49’
Misconduct Summary:
NE – Griffin Yow (Yellow Card – Bad Foul) 48’
New England Revolution: Matt Turner; Will Sands (Tanner Beason 45’), Keegan Hughes (Ilay Feingold 82’), Andrew Farrell, Ethan Kohler; Brooklyn Raines, Matt Polster (Alhassan Yusuf 82’), Carles Gil ©; Griffin Yow (Malcolm Fry 68’), Dor Turgeman (Luca Langoni 61’), Leo Campana.
Substitutes Not Used: Donovan Parisian; Jayden Da, Eric Klein, Jackson Yueill.
Nashville SC: Brian Schwake; Daniel Lovitz, Maxwell Woledzi, Jeisson Palacios, Andy Najar (Josh Bauer 72’); Eddi Tagseth (Bryan Acosta 90’), Patrick Yazbek (Matthew Corcoran 72’), Warren Madrigal (Alex Muyl 61’); Hany Mukhtar ©, Cristian Espinoza (Ahmed Qasem 82’), Sam Surridge (Woobens Pacius 82’).
Substitutes Not Used: Joe Willis; Reed Baker-Whiting, Jack Maher.
