2025-26 Sporting KC and MLS Offseason Schedule

The 2025 Major League Soccer season is finally over. Well, for the 12 worst teams in the league, including Sporting Kansas City. In a league where nearly everyone makes the playoffs, being on the outside looking in is a terrible feeling. Particularly if you are Sporting KC, who have now missed the playoffs in three of the last four seasons.

But something is different now. Sporting KC enter the offseason with a bit of a different feeling. For the first time since November 2006, SKC enter an offseason without Peter Vermes on the staff. He turned over the Sporting Director job last offseason, but this season he’s no longer the coach.

In his place is David Lee, the recent ambitious hire by Sporting KC ownership. Lee is looking to make significant changes and rebrand the team in his image. There are a lot of moves to be made: a staff to be hired, a permanent coach needs to be decided on and a ton of player movement.

Deadline for Player Options – November 26 (Noon CT)

While Sporting KC have until November 26th to get their Bona Fide offers in writing over to MLS, Lee has been clear he won’t take that long. The team has 17 players they need to make decisions on to pick up options, re-sign or trigger their loan purchase options. It’s a lot of work, but under two weeks ago Lee said those decisions would be made in two to three weeks.

That ball could drop at any moment.

By this date in November, all the other MLS squads, other than the four teams in the conference finals, will also have to make their roster decisions.

Free Agency Opens – December 10 (Noon CT)

MLS has greatly expanded free agency in recent negotiations with the MLS Players Association. Any player out of contract or who had their option declined and are at least 24 years old and have four years of league service, are eligible.

The league will make available the list of players on December 9th, but you can get a sneak peek now. The MLSPA already released a list, but this includes players with options on their contracts. The team can simply trigger their options, and they’ll disappear from this list.

For reference, Sporting KC has nine players listed, but John Pulskamp, Mason Toye and Zorhan Bassong all have options. The other six are truly free agents.

Re-Entry Process (Stage One) – December 11 (Noon CT)

If you are too young to be a free agent, you might go into the Re-Entry Process. It’s a draft, don’t let the name change fool you. Teams will pick (or pass) in reverse order of their 2025 finish. Players who are at least 22 years old and have one year of league service are eligible, if they aren’t already available through free agency or haven’t received a Bona Fide offer* from their club.

*Bona Fide Offer: $15,000 raise or 10 percent increase, whichever is greater

When a player is picked in Stage One, their previous contract is picked up with no change, presuming the player has options years left. There is no ability to renegotiate the deal.

Waivers Close – December 11 (4PM CT)

This is for everyone else. Any player who doesn’t meet the re-entry or free agent mechanisms, go to waivers. Teams make claims in reverse order of their finish in 2025.

College Showcase – Dec 10-13

While all this roster finagling is going on, the MLS College Showcase will be taking place for four days in Mesa, Arizona. This will be a chance to get a hands-on look at players available in the SuperDraft.

Re-Entry Process (Stage Two) – December 17 (4PM CT)

Players left over from stage one, who haven’t opted out of the process, will be available for selection in reverse order of the 2025 season standings. The main difference in stages is that teams can renegotiate contracts and draft their own players.

If a player on an option was released, a team could waive that player and then draft them in this process. Sporting KC tried this in prior years with their own guys but were unsuccessful in negotiating new contracts. Teams cannot pick their own players until round two or later, when all the other teams have had a chance to snag them.

MLS SuperDraft – December 18

There will be three rounds in this year’s draft, with teams selecting in the reverse order of their finish. This is basically the only real rewards for Sporting KC’s abysmal finish. They will select fourth since the LA Galaxy leaped them in the standings on Decision Day.

The draft was kind to SKC for the first time in a very long time when they select Jansen Miller eighth overall in last year’s draft. Perhaps they can find another gem.

Sporting KC Preseason

While the season just ended, and we often don’t know how long of a wait it will be until we can see Sporting Kansas City on the field again, we have a much better idea this year. The team already confirmed they will spend at least part of their 2026 preseason at the Coachella Valley Invitational.

This is the second straight year Sporting KC headed to CVI at the Empire Polo Club in Indio, California. Exact dates and opponents aren’t yet announced, but there are four days listed as MLS match days: February 7, 8, 11 and 14. The NWSL will also play on February 15 and 21.

Sporting KC will be joined by Austin FC, Charlotte FC, the Chicago Fire, D.C. United, LAFC, Minnesota United FC, NYCFC, Portland Timbers, San Diego FC, the San Jose Earthquakes and their rival St. Louis City SC.

While the KC Current won’t be in attendance, Angel City FC, the Houston Dash, the Portland Thorns, San Diego Wave, the Seattle Reign and expansion side Denver Summit FC will all be in attendance.

It’s likely Sporting KC’s preseason will start even earlier than CVI as the MLS season regular season typically has started in late February in recent seasons. The schedule release date hasn’t been announced, but that’ll likely come in December sometime as well.

Update 10/24/2025: Sporting KC players will report for preseason medicals on January 10th.