FC Dallas head coach Eric Quill believes his team are ready to challenge for MLS glory in 2026, in a season he acknowledged would be different to the rest. 

After losing one of their last 10 regular-season matches last campaign, Dallas finished seventh in the Western Conference to qualify for the playoffs. 

However, they fell at the first hurdle as they were beaten 3-0 by the Vancouver Whitecaps in Game 1, before losing on penalties 4-2 in Game 2 to end their season. 

Quill's side begin their new campaign at home to Toronto FC, and the Dallas boss described the challenges that will face him and his players this year, which includes the disruption that the World Cup will cause between June and July. 

"It's not your normal season. There is a big gap with the World Cup which everyone is welcoming and there will be a lot of excitement surrounding that," Quill said. 

"As a coach, I am positioning it to my team as though it is like two seasons. There is a first-half season as well as a second-half season, and it is different, but also a lot of fun. 

"It's something different and refreshing. We're going to embrace it and enjoy the World Cup when it rolls around. We do have to be strategic with how we go about our business. 

"That also goes with how we motivate our team and prepare them, but these guys have been doing this a lot and I think we're ready to be winners this year. I am excited."

Toronto, meanwhile, will want to put the 2025 season firmly in their rearview mirror, having ended the campaign in 12th in the Eastern Conference. 

Eight draws in their final 10 regular-season games showed signs that things were improving, but it was their threat in the final third that proved to be Toronto's downfall.

Indeed, only D.C. United (30) and CF Montreal (34) scored fewer than Toronto's 37 in the MLS last term, but Robin Fraser's side are aiming to rectify that in the offseason. 

Daniel Salloi has joined from Sporting Kansas City while the club are reportedly closing in on a deal to sign Norwich City striker Josh Sargent on a permanent deal. 

"I would say we're getting closer," Fraser said. "We are certainly working on a number of different targets and when things start to unfold I think they will happen quickly. 

"But, for right now, it's about really going through the process of vetting each one and looking at their situations and looking at how it will look when they come to play for us. 

"The scouting team has done a really good job in scouting some interesting attacking players. "Sure, we would have loved to have had them four or five weeks ago.

"But, it is what it is. As long as we get the players that we want, I think it will be a successful offseason in terms of acquisitions."

PLAYERS TO WATCH

FC Dallas – Petar Musa

Petar Musa followed up his 16-goal 2024 campaign with 18 goals in the 2025 regular season, and he will be keen to get off the mark here.

Indeed, his 34 goals are the most by any Dallas player in a two-season span, surpassing the 30 that Jesus Ferreira scored across the 2022 and 2023 seasons.

Toronto – Theo Corbeanu

In an underwhelming 2025 season, Theo Corbeanu led Toronto with six goals, two more than any other player on the team.

Toronto were one of two teams, along with Real Salt Lake, to have just one player score at least five goals in the 2025 regular season.

MATCH PREDICTION: FC DALLAS WIN

Dallas are unbeaten in 11 all-time regular-season home matches against Toronto (W8 D3). Only five teams have played more regular-season home matches against a single opponent without ever losing.

This weekend's hosts have also suffered only one defeat in their last 16 season openers dating back to 2010, a 1-0 loss to Minnesota United to open the 2023 season. This will be the 17th time in the last 19 seasons that Dallas plays the first match of their season at home.

Toronto, meanwhile, will be looking to start strong, having missed the playoffs for the fifth straight year in 2025, one of two teams (D.C. United) without a playoff appearance since 2021.

Indeed, their 14 defeats last term were four fewer than they had in any of the previous four seasons.

OPTA WIN PROBABILITY

FC Dallas – 52.2%

Draw – 24.4%

Toronto – 23.4%