2026 Charlotte FC season
Season of an American soccer team
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The 2026 Charlotte FC season is the team's fifth season in Major League Soccer (MLS), the top flight of professional club soccer in the United States. The team, based in Charlotte, North Carolina, was established in 2019 and made their debut in the 2022 season. The 2026 season will be the third for Charlotte FC under English head coach Dean Smith, who was hired in December 2023 as the team's third manager.[1]
| 2026 season | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sporting director | Zoran Krneta | |||
| Head coach | Dean Smith | |||
| Stadium | Bank of America Stadium | |||
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Squad information
- As of August 15, 2026[2]
Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules; some limited exceptions apply. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.
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Out on loan
Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules; some limited exceptions apply. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.
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Coaching staff
| Technical staff | |
|---|---|
| Head coach | Dean Smith |
| Associate head coach | Miles Joseph |
| Assistant coach | Gary Dicker |
| Sporting director | Zoran Krneta |
| Head of goalkeeping | Aron Hyde |
| Head video coach | Rohan Sachdev |
Player movement
Transfers In
| Pos. | Player | Transferred from | Fee/notes | Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| MF |  Pep Biel |
 Olympiacos |
Transfer[5] | January 1, 2026 |
| MF |  Luca de la Torre |
Celta Vigo |
Transfer[6] | January 1, 2026 |
| DF |  David Schnegg |
D.C. United |
Waivers[7] | January 15, 2026 |
| GK | Tyler Miller |
 Bolton Wanderers |
Transfer[8] | January 20, 2026 |
| DF | Henry Kessler |
St. Louis City SC |
Free agent[9] | January 29, 2026 |
| GK | Isaac Walker |
Crown Legacy FC |
Transfer[10] | February 6, 2026 |
| DF | Morrison Agyemang |
Crown Legacy FC |
Transfer[11] | February 20, 2026 |
| FW |  Rodolfo Aloko |
Crown Legacy FC |
Transfer[12] | April 10, 2026 |
| MF |  Allan Saint-Maximin |
RC Lens |
Free[13] | July 13, 2026 |
| FW | Nathan Richmond |
Crown Legacy FC |
Transfer[14] | September 12, 2026 |
Transfers Out
| Pos. | Player | Transferred to | Fee/notes | Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| GK | Drake Callender |
Minnesota United FC |
Transfer[15] | January 1, 2026 |
| DF |  Bill Tuiloma |
Wellington Phoenix |
Free[16][17] | January 8, 2026 |
| FW | Nick Scardina |
Rhode Island FC |
Free[16][18] | January 12, 2026 |
| DF | Jahlane Forbes |
Las Vegas Lights FC |
Free[16][19] | January 20, 2026 |
| MF |  Kerwin Vargas |
 Club Athletico Paranaense |
Transfer [16][20] | July 31, 2026 |
Loans Out
| Pos. | Player | Loaned to | Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| MF |  Nikola Petković |
Seattle Sounders FC |
January 8, 2026[21] |
| GK | Chituru Odunze |
Phoenix Rising FC |
February 6, 2026[22] |
Draft picks
MLS Re-Entry Draft picks
| 2024 Charlotte FC Re-Entry Picks | ||||||
| Round | Selection | Player | Position | Team | Notes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 (Stage 1) | 22 | PASS | ||||
| 2 (Stage 2) | 22 | PASS | ||||
MLS SuperDraft picks
| 2025 Charlotte FC Picks | ||||||
| Round | Pick | Player | Position | College | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 22 | Will Cleary |
MF | Stanford Cardinal | ||
| 2 | 52 | Luke Adams |
DF | Tulsa Golden Hurricane | ||
| 3 | 82 |  Jahiem Wickam |
GK | South Florida Bulls | ||
Competitions
Win Draw Loss
All matches are in Eastern Time.
Preseason
| January 23 | Charlotte FC | 3–1 | Charleston Battery | |
| Report |
| January 31 | Sporting Kansas City | 0–1 | Charlotte FC | |
| Report |
|
| February 7 Coachella Valley Invitational | San Jose Earthquakes | 1–0 | Charlotte FC | Indio, California |
|
Report | Stadium: Empire Polo Club |
| February 14 Coachella Valley Invitational | Charlotte FC | 2–1 | Minnesota United FC | Indio, California |
|
Report |
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Stadium: Empire Polo Club |
Overview
| Competition | First match | Last match | Starting round | Final position | Record | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Win % | |||||
| Major League Soccer | February 21, 2026 | November 7, 2026 | Matchday 1 | TBD | 14 | 5 | 3 | 6 | 24 | 23 | +1 | 35.71 |
| MLS Cup playoffs | TBD | TBD | TBD | TBD | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | +0 | — |
| Leagues Cup | August 4, 2026 | TBD | League Phase | TBD | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | +0 | — |
| U.S. Open Cup | April 15, 2026 | April 28, 2026 | Round of 32 | Round of 16 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 6 | 2 | +4 | 50.00 |
| Total | 16 | 6 | 3 | 7 | 30 | 25 | +5 | 37.50 | ||||
Last updated: May 23, 2026
Source: Competitions
Major League Soccer (MLS)
Standings
| Pos | Team | Pld | W | L | T | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2 | New England Revolution | 27 | 14 | 9 | 4 | 45 | 36 | +9 | 46 | Qualification for round one |
| 3 | Inter Miami CF | 27 | 12 | 5 | 10 | 64 | 50 | +14 | 46 | |
| 4 | Charlotte FC | 27 | 12 | 8 | 7 | 47 | 38 | +9 | 43 | |
| 5 | Chicago Fire FC | 26 | 12 | 8 | 6 | 46 | 38 | +8 | 42 | |
| 6 | Philadelphia Union | 27 | 11 | 10 | 6 | 54 | 44 | +10 | 39 |
Updated to match(es) played on September 30, 2026. Source: MLS
Rules for classification: 1) points; 2) total wins; 3) total goal differential; 4) total goals scored; 5) fewer disciplinary points; 6) away goal differential; 7) away goals scored; 8) home goals differential; 9) home goals scored; 10) coin toss (2 clubs tied) or drawing of lots (≥3 clubs tied)
Rules for classification: 1) points; 2) total wins; 3) total goal differential; 4) total goals scored; 5) fewer disciplinary points; 6) away goal differential; 7) away goals scored; 8) home goals differential; 9) home goals scored; 10) coin toss (2 clubs tied) or drawing of lots (≥3 clubs tied)
| Pos | Team | Pld | W | L | T | GF | GA | GD | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 7 | San Jose Earthquakes | 27 | 13 | 8 | 6 | 49 | 39 | +10 | 45 |
| 8 | Houston Dynamo FC | 27 | 13 | 9 | 5 | 34 | 32 | +2 | 44 |
| 9 | Charlotte FC | 27 | 12 | 8 | 7 | 47 | 38 | +9 | 43 |
| 10 | Chicago Fire FC | 26 | 12 | 8 | 6 | 46 | 38 | +8 | 42 |
| 11 | Los Angeles FC | 28 | 11 | 9 | 8 | 43 | 30 | +13 | 41 |
Updated to match(es) played on September 30, 2026. Source: MLS
Rules for classification: 1) points; 2) total wins; 3) total goal differential; 4) total goals scored; 5) fewer disciplinary points; 6) away goal differential; 7) away goals scored; 8) home goals differential; 9) home goals scored; 10) coin toss (2 clubs tied) or drawing of lots (≥3 clubs tied)
Rules for classification: 1) points; 2) total wins; 3) total goal differential; 4) total goals scored; 5) fewer disciplinary points; 6) away goal differential; 7) away goals scored; 8) home goals differential; 9) home goals scored; 10) coin toss (2 clubs tied) or drawing of lots (≥3 clubs tied)
Results summary
| Overall | Home | Away | |||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pld | Pts | W | L | T | GF | GA | GD | W | L | T | GF | GA | GD | W | L | T | GF | GA | GD |
| 27 | 43 | 12 | 8 | 7 | 47 | 38 | +9 | 7 | 4 | 4 | 26 | 17 | +9 | 5 | 4 | 3 | 21 | 21 | 0 |
Last updated: September 26, 2026
Source: MLS Results
Pld = Matches played; Pts = Points; W = Matches won; T = Matches tied; L = Matches lost; GF = Goals for; GA = Goals against; GD = Goal difference
Results by round
Updated to match(es) played on September 26, 2026. Source: Match reports
A = Away; H = Home; N = Neutral; W = Win; D = Draw; L = Loss; = Conference leader; = Playoffs berth; = Wild card berth
A = Away; H = Home; N = Neutral; W = Win; D = Draw; L = Loss; = Conference leader; = Playoffs berth; = Wild card berth
Match results
Win Draw Loss Void Postponed
| February 21 1 | St. Louis City SC | 1–1 | Charlotte FC | St. Louis, Missouri |
| 2:30 pm EST | Report | Stadium: Energizer Park Attendance: 22,423 Referee: Ismail Elfath |
| February 28 2 | LA Galaxy | 3–0 | Charlotte FC | Carson, California |
| 10:30 pm EST | Report | Stadium: Dignity Health Sports Park Attendance: 20,205 Referee: Joe Dickerson |
| March 7 3 | Charlotte FC | 3–1 | Austin FC | Charlotte, North Carolina |
| 7:30 pm EST | Report | Stadium: Bank of America Stadium Attendance: 35,611 Referee: Rosendo Mendoza |
| March 14 4 | Charlotte FC | 0–0 | Inter Miami CF | Charlotte, North Carolina |
| 7:30 pm EDT | Report | Stadium: Bank of America Stadium Attendance: 34,780 Referee: Guido Gonzales Jr. |
| March 21 5 | Charlotte FC | 6–1 | New York Red Bulls | Charlotte, North Carolina |
| 7:30 pm EDT | Report | Stadium: Bank of America Stadium Attendance: 27,166 Referee: Allen Chapman |
| April 4 6 | Charlotte FC | 2–1 | Philadelphia Union | Charlotte, North Carolina |
| 7:30 pm EDT | Report |
|
Stadium: Bank of America Stadium Attendance: 25,865 Referee: Drew Fischer |
| April 11 7 | Charlotte FC | 1–2 | Nashville SC | Charlotte, North Carolina |
| 7:30 pm EDT | Report | Stadium: Bank of America Stadium Attendance: 26,012 Referee: Rubiel Vazquez |
| April 18 8 | New York City FC | 1–2 | Charlotte FC | New York, New York |
| 7:30 pm EDT | Report | Stadium: Citi Field Attendance: 20,997 Referee: Tori Penso |
| April 22 9 | Orlando City SC | 4–1 | Charlotte FC | Orlando, Florida |
| 7:30 pm EDT | Report | Stadium: Inter&Co Stadium Attendance: 16,089 Referee: Filip Dujic |
| April 25 10 | Nashville SC | 4–2 | Charlotte FC | Nashville, Tennessee |
| 8:30 pm EDT | Report | Stadium: Geodis Park Attendance: 30,109 Referee: Joe Dickerson |
| May 2 11 | New England Revolution | 1–0 | Charlotte FC | Foxborough, Massachusetts |
| 7:30 pm EDT | Report | Stadium: Gillette Stadium Attendance: 22,831 Referee: Pierre-Luc Lauziere |
| May 9 12 | Charlotte FC | 2–2 | FC Cincinnati | Charlotte, North Carolina |
| 7:30 pm EDT | Report |
|
Stadium: Bank of America Stadium Attendance: 26,252 Referee: Ismail Elfath |
| May 13 13 | Charlotte FC | 0–1 | New York City FC | Charlotte, North Carolina |
| 7:00 pm EDT | Report | Stadium: Bank of America Stadium Attendance: 23,903 Referee: Jon Freemon |
| May 16 14 | Charlotte FC | 3–1 | Toronto FC | Charlotte, North Carolina |
| 7:30 pm EDT | Report |
|
Stadium: Bank of America Stadium Attendance: 28,158 Referee: Allen Chapman |
| May 23 15 | Charlotte FC | 1–0 | New England Revolution | Charlotte, North Carolina |
| 7:30 pm EDT | Report | Stadium: Bank of America Stadium Attendance: 24,640 Referee: Fotis Bazakos |
| July 22 16 | Charlotte FC | 2–2 | Atlanta United FC | Charlotte, North Carolina |
| 8:00 pm EDT | Report | Stadium: Bank of America Stadium Attendance: 28,077 Referee: Sergii Boiko |
| July 25 17 | New York Red Bulls | 0–2 | Charlotte FC | Harrison, New Jersey |
| 7:30 pm EDT | Report | Stadium: Sports Illustrated Stadium Attendance: 22,087 Referee: Rosendo Mendoza |
| August 1 18 | Chicago Fire FC | 2–1 | Charlotte FC | Chicago, Illinois |
| 8:30 pm EDT |
|
Report |
|
Stadium: Soldier Field Attendance: 32,183 Referee: Jon Freemon |
| August 15 19 | Charlotte FC | 3–1 | Columbus Crew | Charlotte, North Carolina |
| 7:30 pm EDT | Report |
|
Stadium: Bank of America Stadium Attendance: 25,470 Referee: Filip Dujic |
| August 19 20 | Toronto FC | 3–3 | Charlotte FC | Toronto, Ontario |
| 7:30 pm EDT |
|
Report | Stadium: BMO Field Attendance: 19,909 Referee: Alexis Da Silva |
| August 22 21 | Charlotte FC | 3–1 | D.C. United | Charlotte, North Carolina |
| 7:30 pm EDT | Report | Stadium: Bank of America Stadium Attendance: 28,257 Referee: Elijio Arreguin |
| August 29 22 | Atlanta United FC | 0–2 | Charlotte FC | Atlanta, Georgia |
| 7:30 pm EDT |
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Report | Stadium: Mercedes-Benz Stadium Attendance: 40,385 Referee: Victor Rivas |
| September 5 23 | Charlotte FC | 0–0 | Houston Dynamo FC | Charlotte, North Carolina |
| 7:30 pm EDT |
|
Report |
|
Stadium: Bank of America Stadium Attendance: 25,450 Referee: Guido Gonzales Jr. |
| September 9 24 | CF Montréal | 1–2 | Charlotte FC | Montreal, Quebec |
| 7:30 pm EDT | Report | Stadium: Saputo Stadium Attendance: 12,324 Referee: Rubiel Vazquez |
| September 12 25 | FC Cincinnati | 3–3 | Charlotte FC | Cincinnati, Ohio |
| 7:30 pm EDT | Report | Stadium: TQL Stadium Attendance: 25,513 Referee: Pierre-Luc Lauziere |
| September 19 26 | D.C. United | 1–2 | Charlotte FC | Washington, D.C. |
| 7:30 pm EDT | Report |
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Stadium: Audi Field Attendance: 15,073 Referee: Armando Villarreal |
| September 26 27 | Charlotte FC | 0–1 | Chicago Fire FC | Charlotte, North Carolina |
| 7:30 pm EDT |
|
Report | Stadium: Bank of America Stadium Attendance: 31,011 Referee: Chris Penso |
| October 10 28 | Charlotte FC | v | FC Dallas | Charlotte, North Carolina |
| 7:30 pm EDT | Stadium: Bank of America Stadium |
| October 14 29 | Columbus Crew | v | Charlotte FC | Columbus, Ohio |
| 7:30 pm EDT | Stadium: ScottsMiracle-Gro Field |
| October 17 30 | Philadelphia Union | v | Charlotte FC | Chester, Pennsylvania |
| 2:30 pm EDT | Stadium: Subaru Park |
| October 24 31 | Portland Timbers | v | Charlotte FC | Portland, Oregon |
| 10:30 pm EDT | Stadium: Providence Park |
| October 28 32 | Charlotte FC | v | CF Montréal | Charlotte, North Carolina |
| 7:30 pm EDT | Stadium: Bank of America Stadium |
| October 31 33 | Charlotte FC | v | Orlando City SC | Charlotte, North Carolina |
| 1:00 pm EDT | Stadium: Bank of America Stadium |
| November 7 34 | Inter Miami CF | v | Charlotte FC | Miami, Florida |
| 4:00 pm EST | Stadium: Nu Stadium |
U.S. Open Cup
| April 15 Round of 32 | Charlotte FC  | 6–0 | Charlotte Independence | Matthews, North Carolina |
| 7:30 pm EDT | Report |
|
Stadium: Sportsplex at Matthews Attendance: 3,684 Referee: Matthew Thompson |
| April 28 Round of 16 | Charlotte FC | 0–2 |  Atlanta United FC | Matthews, North Carolina |
| 7:00 pm EDT |
|
Report | Stadium: Sportsplex at Matthews Attendance: 3,315 Referee: Sergii Boiko |
Leagues Cup
| August 4 1 | Charlotte FC | 3–0 |  UNAM | Charlotte, North Carolina |
| 8:00 p.m. EDT | Report | Stadium: Bank of America Stadium Attendance: 22,530 Referee: Rubiel Vazquez |
| August 7 2 | Charlotte FC | 2–0 | Atlas | Charlotte, North Carolina |
| 7:30 p.m. EDT | Report | Stadium: Bank of America Stadium Attendance: 15,579 Referee: Julio Luna |
| August 11 3 | Charlotte FC | 0–1 | Pachuca | Charlotte, North Carolina |
| 7:30 p.m. EDT |
|
Report | Stadium: Bank of America Stadium Attendance: 15,561 Referee: Kwinsi Williams |