Toronto FC head into 2026 with pressure they can’t escape

Six World Cup games will take place in Toronto in 2026, including Canada's Group B opener on 12 June, but will supporters have a club side to be proud of again?

How did Toronto FC fare in 2025?

Not so long ago, Toronto FC were a team to be feared in Major League Soccer. Now though, not so much. Between 2016 and 2019, the Reds featured in three of the four MLS Cups, winning the treble in 2017, picking up the Supporters' Shield and Canadian Championship before defeating Seattle 2-0 on home turf.

However, those days feel along time ago now. In 2023, TFC picked up the Wooden Spoon, collecting only four wins all year. Well, after finishing 22nd in the overall standings the following year, it was back down to 25th last year, enjoying just six victories. Between 9 August and 4 October, they had a streak of eight successive draws, while their 4-2 win over Orlando on decision day is the club's only victory since 16 July. Having not made the play-offs in any of the last five seasons, that has to be the target.

Toronto FC's first 6 MLS fixtures of 2026

• FC Dallas - Toyota Stadium. Saturday 21 February. 8:30pm (ET).

• Vancouver Whitecaps - BC Place. Saturday 28 February. 9:30pm (ET).

• FC Cincinnati - TQL Stadium. Sunday 8 March. 6pm (ET).

• New York Red Bulls - BMO Field. Saturday 14 March. Noon (ET).

• Columbus Crew - BMO Field. Saturday 21 March. Noon (ET).

• Colorado Rapids - BMO Field. Saturday 4 April. 1pm (ET).

Toronto FC winter transfer window activity

This squad requires a lot of off-season surgery and, well, that hasn't exactly happened.

Toronto FC departures

Toronto FC arrivals

It has not been a particularly busy transfer window in Ontario, but some transfer activity is worth discussion. Walker Zimmerman is the headline new recruit, arriving from Nashville where he was a Designated Player, but that won't be the case at BMO Field. The USMNT international is one of the best centre-backs in the league, but could be set for a busy year north of the border.

Elsewhere, after Sean Johnson's departure, Luka Gavran will be battling against new recruit William Yarbrough for the starting number one jersey. José Cifuentes alongside captain Jonathan Osorio should form a pretty solid midfield duo, while TFC supporters will be looking for their one, and currently only, DP to come to the fore.

Back in the summer, with Federico Bernardeschi and Lorenzo Insigne now gone, Đorđe Mihailović arrived from Colorado Rapids for $9 million, the second-largest cash-for-player trade fee in the rule's short history. The 27 year old scored a respectable four goals in ten appearances for TFC to close out 2025, including a brace against Orlando on the final day, and he will need to rediscover his best form if Toronto are going to be competitive this year.

Predictions for Toronto FC in 2026

In short, it is likely to be another rough season for Toronto supporters. The Eastern Conference is substantially stronger than the west and, while another Wooden Spoon is not on the cards, Montréal and DC exist after all, they're unlikely to threaten the play-off places.

Mihailović is a good player, who will almost certainly get into double figures in terms of goals, while Zimmerman is a useful addition, but this squad simply lacks quality across the board. Manager Robin Fraser worked wonders in Colorado, finishing first in the west in 2021, and will need to do similar in Canada if Toronto are going to finish above the play-off line.