2025 MLS Predictions
As the season approaches this weekend, the boys have compiled their 2025 MLS regular season predictions. Below, you’ll find lists of how Zac & Ian see both conferences shaking out this year by the time decision day wraps up in October.
LAFC lost a number of key pieces in the offseason and we have some concerns about their midfield. Despite that, they still come in as our top team in the Western Conference. The raw talent present on the roster should keep them afloat until they can bring in some reinforcements later in the primary window or big name signings in the summer window that opens in late July. How does Antoine Griezmann sound?
Seattle should also be considered a serious threat to earn the West’s top seed come playoff time. They’ll have to deal with CONCACAF Champions Cup, the Club World Cup and Leagues Cup in addition to their MLS schedule, but they beefed up their attacking talent in the offseason and could end up dominating on both ends if they have positive injury luck.
Maybe we’re just hating on our Copa Tejas rivals, but it’s tough to look at the state of the Dynamo’s roster and argue that Houston will be better this season than last. FC Dallas looked poised to be a spoon contender until they traded for the 2023 MLS MVP Luciano Acosta from FC Cincinnati earlier this month. Their defense looks rough, so they don’t quite get into the wild card mix for us.
The last time we predicted an expansion team to be at the bottom of the Western Conference table, they not only beat our favorite team at Q2 Stadium on opening night, they finished as the top seed. So maybe San Diego’s fun attacking group is enough to lift them into the wild card mix. We’ll believe it when we see it.
We can’t move away from Inter Miami taking our top spot in the East. Sure, all of their aging stars are a year older, but this team set the MLS points record last season with an eight point buffer between them and the field while only having Lionel Messi available for 19 of 34 regular season games. We wouldn’t be surprised to see the retooled FC Cincinnati or the reloaded Atlanta United nudge Messi & Co. for the East crown when all is said and done, but we’ll stick with last year’s shield winners to repeat.
The teams we have projected to be mid-table are an intriguing bunch. Charlotte FC was strong last season, retained their core, brought back Pep Biel and added Wilfried Zaha. The Chicago Fire hired Gregg Berhalter and went on a spending spree to infuse their attack with high end talent like Jonathan Bamba. Can they surpass the more historically consistent clubs like Orlando City SC, NYCFC and Philadelphia Union? We think they’ve got a great chance!
The bottom of the Eastern Conference is nasty. CF Montreal have some promising young talent and a unique type of roster build as a club that rarely fills all of their DP slots. Speaking of DP slots, Mateusz Klich is still taking up one of DC United’s even though he’s been traded to Atlanta United. A puzzling piece of business (to put it nicely) as DC tries to dig themselves out of a salary cap and roster build hell, while Toronto FC is still burdened by the under performing Italian DPs (and a healthy Lorenzo Insigne is not expected to be active to begin the season).
