Nashville SC is set to face the New England Revolution in their season opener on Saturday night, following different offseason paths.
After failing to reach the MLS playoffs in 2024, Nashville’s head coach B.J. Callaghan led the team to a 16-12-6 record (54 points) last season, successfully returning to the postseason. This week, the club extended Callaghan’s contract through the 2028-29 season.
As he begins his second full season, Callaghan aims to lead Nashville to another successful year.
“We’re an ambitious club with ambitious ownership,” Callaghan said. “I believe there are no limits on what this group can achieve. The goal in professional sports is to win as many trophies as possible. I think we are building something sustainable here, which makes me proud to stay with Nashville.”
Striker Sam Surridge, 27, is back after a standout season scoring 24 goals, ranking him second in the league alongside Los Angeles FC’s Denis Bouanga, just behind Lionel Messi’s 29. Hany Mukhtar, who scored 16 goals, also returns for his seventh year with the team.
On the other hand, New England aims to bounce back from two disappointing seasons. After missing the playoffs for the second year in a row, head coach Caleb Porter was dismissed before completing his third season. The Revolution ended 2025 with a 9-16-9 record (36 points) and hired Marko Mitrovic as Porter’s successor in November.
Saturday marks a fresh start for New England and Mitrovic, who previously coached the U.S. Under-20 team.
“This group is ready to learn and implement new strategies quickly,” said Mitrovic. “Nashville is well-coached. I respect B.J. Callaghan as a friend and a coach. He has shown great knowledge of the game and has transformed Nashville into one of the top teams in the Eastern Conference over the past 18 months.”
New England has also signed midfielder Carles Gil to a contract extension, keeping the club’s assist leader (87) and overall contributions (136) until June 2028. Gil was the only Revolution player to score in double digits last season, finishing with 10 goals.