
Welcome to the 21st Major League Soccer campaign.
Three months after the Portland Timbers lifted the MLS Cup, the league's 2016 season kicks off Sunday with a full slate of 10 matches. As the new season has crept closer, we have rolled out comprehensive coverage to help whet your appetite for another nine months of MLS action.
For a sweeping look at the league, you can check out our breakdowns of the Golden Boot favorites, newcomers to watch and familiar faces in new places, as well as a star-studded listing of every designated player in MLS, nifty infocards for each team and the Goal USA podcast's Week 1 preview.
But if a club-by-club analysis is more up your alley, we really have you covered. The Goal USA and Goal Canada teams spoke with coaches and players from across the league and put together a series of season previews — featuring projected lineups, offseason recaps, players to watch and much more. And our reporters have profiled a key player from each club to help you get to know some of the personalities that will define the coming season.
For your convenience, we have compiled all of that content right here. So go ahead: Dive in and immerse yourself in Goal 's 2016 MLS season preview.
SEASON PREVIEW: CHICAGO FIRE KICK OFF NEW ERA UNDER VELJKO PAUNOVIC
PLAYER SPOTLIGHT: FROM PLAYOFFS TO OLYMPICS, MATT POLSTER HOPES FOR BUSY SOPHOMORE SEASON
SEASON PREVIEW: OVERHAULED COLORADO RAPIDS HOPE TO GET BACK TO POSTSEASON
PLAYER SPOTLIGHT: WITH RENEWED COMMITMENT, DILLON SERNA AIMS FOR 2016 BREAKTHROUGH
SEASON PREVIEW: COLUMBUS CREW LOOK TO CLEAR MLS CUP HURDLE
PLAYER SPOTLIGHT: BUOYED BY FAITH AND FAMILY, STEVE CLARK ROLLS WITH THE PUNCHES
SEASON PREVIEW: D.C. UNITED HOPES FOR REINVIGORATED ATTACKING CORPS
PLAYER SPOTLIGHT: MARKUS HALSTI TARGETS BOUNCE-BACK YEAR IN REVAMPED MIDFIELD
SEASON PREVIEW: FC DALLAS STILL BUILDING WITH YOUTH
PLAYER SPOTLIGHT: CARLOS GRUEZO HOPES PERFORMANCES WITH FC DALLAS LEAD TO ECUADOR RETURN
SEASON PREVIEW: OWEN COYLE WANTS HOUSTON DYNAMO ON ROAD TO PLAYOFFS
PLAYER SPOTLIGHT: FRESH GILES BARNES READY TO GET BACK TO WORK WITH DYNAMO
SEASON PREVIEW: LA GALAXY HOPE VETERANS LEAD TEAM TO GLORY
PLAYER SPOTLIGHT: DAN KENNEDY RECHARGED BY SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA RETURN
SEASON PREVIEW: MONTREAL IMPACT LOOKING TO BECOME A POWER IN EASTERN CONFERENCE
PLAYER SPOTLIGHT: AFTER EMOTIONAL MOVE, HARRY SHIPP ADJUSTING TO LIFE WITH IMPACT
SEASON PREVIEW: NEW ENGLAND REVOLUTION READY TO MOVE ON WITHOUT JERMAINE JONES
PLAYER SPOTLIGHT: JUAN AGUDELO EMBRACES STATUS AS YOUNG VETERAN IN MLS
SEASON PREVIEW: ROOKIE COACH PATRICK VIEIRA CONFIDENT IN NEW YORK CITY FC
SEASON PREVIEW: NEW YORK RED BULLS LOOK TO CLAIM ELUSIVE MLS CUP
SEASON PREVIEW: ORLANDO CITY HOPES CONSISTENCY BRINGS POSTSEASON GLORY
PLAYER SPOTLIGHT: REIGNING MLS ROOKIE OF THE YEAR CYLE LARIN UNAFRAID OF SOPHOMORE SLUMP
SEASON PREVIEW: PHILADELPHIA UNION LOOK TO END UNDERACHIEVING WAYS
PLAYER SPOTLIGHT: ANDRE BLAKE HOPES TO RESOLVE UNION'S INSTABILITY AT GOALKEEPER
SEASON PREVIEW: TIMBERS ENTER 2016 WITH THE SWAGGER OF A CHAMPION
PLAYER SPOTLIGHT: LUCAS MELANO READY TO RIDE PLAYOFF SUCCESS INTO STRONG 2016 WITH TIMBERS
SEASON PREVIEW: REAL SALT LAKE LOOKS TO PROVE 2015 WAS A FLUKE
PLAYER SPOTLIGHT: GOING ON A DECADE IN UTAH, KYLE BECKERMAN SEARCHES FOR RETURN TO THE SUMMIT
SEASON PREVIEW: EARTHQUAKES USE DECISION-DAY DISAPPOINTMENT AS MOTIVATION
PLAYER SPOTLIGHT: WORKING THROUGH UPS AND DOWNS, THOMPSON HOPES FOR THIRD-YEAR IMPACT
SEASON PREVIEW: SEATTLE SOUNDERS HOPE CHANGES RESULT IN LONG-AWAITED MLS CUP TITLE
PLAYER SPOTLIGHT: SETTLED STEFAN FREI READY TO HELP SEATTLE FULFILL ITS MLS CUP ASPIRATIONS
SEASON PREVIEW: VETERANS LEAD THE WAY FOR SPORTING KANSAS CITY
PLAYER SPOTLIGHT: IKE OPARA LOOKS TO BEAT THE ODDS AGAIN WITH ANOTHER INJURY COMEBACK
MLS SEASON PREVIEW: CHANGE, CONTINUITY STRANGE BEDFELLOWS FOR TORONTO FC
PLAYER SPOTLIGHT: WILL JOHNSON EAGER TO PLAY BIG ROLE AT 'HOME' WITH TORONTO FC
SEASON PREVIEW: VANCOUVER WHITECAPS AIMING TO BE A LEGITIMATE MLS CUP CONTENDER
PLAYER SPOTLIGHT: KEKUTA MANNEH LOOKS TO LEAD SCORING CHARTS FOR WHITECAPS