FOXBOROUGH, Mass. (October 26, 2026) – New England Revolution defender Andrew Farrell today announced his retirement from professional soccer following the conclusion of the 2026 MLS season. Farrell, the longest-tenured athlete in Boston professional sports today, will retire as the Revolution’s all-time leader in MLS seasons, appearances, games started, and minutes played.
One of Major League’s Soccer’s ironmen throughout much of his career, Farrell owns the Revolution regular season records with 345 games played, 329 starts, and 29,384 minutes played – the sixth-most minutes played among all MLS players since he entered the league in 2013. His 345 league appearances are the fourth most by a player for a single club in MLS history. Farrell helped New England lift the 2021 MLS Supporters’ Shield and make appearances in the 2014 MLS Cup and 2016 U.S. Open Cup finals. His career accolades include an MLS All-Star selection in 2016, five Revolution Defender of the Year honors, and the 2025 Revolution Players’ Player of the Year.
During Monday’s press conference, Revolution President Brian Bilello announced that Farrell would be the recipient of his fifth Humanitarian of the Year honor, a new record, as he receives the recognition for the fourth straight year. Throughout his 14-year tenure, Farrell has set a new standard for community service through his tireless commitment to countless philanthropic causes, attending dozens of events each year. Most notably, Farrell has demonstrated an outstanding commitment to Special Olympics Massachusetts and the Revolution Unified Team through all 12 years of the program. He is also a passionate advocate of pediatric cancer awareness, serving as host of Andrew’s NEGU Crew in partnership with the Jessie Rees Foundation.
Over the past two seasons, Farrell began to prepare for his post-playing career by assuming a Player Professional Development role as an assistant coach in the Revolution Academy. The role allows MLS clubs to designate one player per year with responsibilities enabling him to develop skills in different parts of the club’s business, including coaching. Farrell, who is currently working towards obtaining his U.S. Soccer B coaching license, was the first Revolution player to assume the Professional Development role for the club and will now continue to help develop the next generation of Revolution players.
In addition to holding club records for appearances, starts, and minutes played in both the regular season and across all competitions, Farrell is also New England’s all-time leader in Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup appearances with 19. In postseason play, Farrell has started all 15 matches over seven different playoff runs, including four starts during the team’s run to the MLS Cup Final in 2014.
Farrell, 34, was selected by New England with the first overall pick in the 2013 MLS SuperDraft. The defender made at least 30 starts in each of his first six seasons in the league, and eight times over the course of his career. Farrell began his MLS career as a right back, eventually transitioning to center back where he helped anchor the Revolution backline for over a decade.
After spending 10 years of his childhood growing up in Peru, Farrell enjoyed a successful three-year collegiate career in his hometown at the University of Louisville. As a junior, Farrell earned NCAA Division I First-Team All-America honors and was named the Big East Defensive Player of the Year. After signing a Generation Adidas contract, the Revolution selected Farrell as its first and only top overall SuperDraft choice in club history. As a rookie, Farrell was voted the ninth-best player in the 2013 MLS 24 Under 24 class.
Andrew Farrell
“Words cannot express how grateful I am to the New England Revolution for welcoming me into their family with open arms for the last 14 years. Thank you to the Kraft family, Brian, all my teammates and coaches throughout my career, and the staff behind the scenes for helping me live dreams that I never imagined possible. There is truly no other place I would have rather spent my career and no place I’d rather call my second home.
“To New England, this community will always have a special place in my heart. In addition to everything we’ve been able to accomplish on the field, I will forever cherish all of the memories we’ve shared together off the field. Becoming a member of this community has been one of the greatest honors of my career and one that I never took for granted. To our supporters, you are the heart and soul of this club. Thank you for being with me every step of the way through this incredible journey.”
Revolution President Brian Bilello
“I’d like to offer my congratulations to Andrew Farrell on an amazing career, one of the most memorable in our club’s 31-year history. Andrew not only personified what it means to be a Revolution player, but helped define it. His accomplishments on the pitch speak for themselves. The selfless example he set off the pitch will continue to resonate here forever, especially among the many community partners Andrew has been working with for over a decade. We are thrilled that Andrew spent his entire career here in New England, and he will always be part of the Revolution family.“
Revolution General Manager & Chief Soccer Officer Chris Tierney
“From the moment he arrived in New England, Andrew Farrell has been a consummate professional and the ultimate teammate. Andrew raised the bar for all players with his leadership on the field and his commitment to community service off the field. Andrew’s leadership and character have left an indelible mark on this club and everyone here who has had the privilege to work with Andrew. I am proud to call Andrew my friend, and his legacy will be felt here in New England for decades to come.”
ANDREW FARRELL
CAREER ACCOLADES & ACHIEVEMENTS
- The Revolution’s all-time leader in appearances (345), starts (329), and minutes played (29,384) during the regular season.
- Longest-tenured player in Revolution history, and the longest-tenured active athlete across Boston’s five major men’s professional sports at the time of his retirement.
- Helped Revolution claim the 2021 MLS Supporters’ Shield with a club record 22 wins and 73 points.
- Selected to the MLS All-Star Team in 2016.
- Five-time Revolution Defender of the Year, as voted by the local media, and a five-time Revolution Humanitarian of the Year recipient.
