Last year under new coach and director of football Gregg Berhalter, the Fire became a competent team. They ended a playoff drought that dated back to 2017 and won a postseason game for the first time since 2009.
The challenge this season for Berhalter and the Fire is to reach another level and grow into a true Eastern Conference contender after finishing eighth in 2025, 13 points behind the first-place Philadelphia Union.
Whether it’s turning into a good team like the Fire did last year or maturing into a really good one like they hope to in 2026, they know both steps are difficult.
“They might be equally hard,” said Fire attacker Philip Zinckernagel, a 2025 MLS All-Star.
Berhalter, Zinckernagel and the Fire open the season Saturday night in Houston against the Dynamo. Despite selling midfielder Brian Gutierrez in December to Mexican club Chivas de Guadalajara, the Fire arguably have a stronger roster than 2025. Through free agency, they added experienced midfielder Robin Lod while signing promising South African defender Mbekezeli Mbokazi and acquiring Swedish midfielder Anton Salétros from Stockholm-based AIK.
They’re also in their second year under Berhalter, who understands the grind of an MLS schedule. He said the Fire’s focus is having a strong season to position themselves to win a championship, and not trying to win a trophy in February.
“We want to be well-positioned as we go into the playoffs, to be able to win playoff series and keep moving,” Berhalter said. “It’s easier said than done, but what I’d say is the group understands the expectations. We’ve added quality to this group, we’ve added experience to this group, so we’re hoping to be better.”
Being better than the 2025 Fire would mean shoring up the team defense. They gave up 60 goals last year, fourth-worst in the East. Because of those issues, the Fire only finished with a plus-8 goal differential despite scoring the second-most goals in the conference.
More important than goal difference, the Fire could only clinch a playoff berth with two games to spare and were thrown into the Eastern Conference wild-card game. They beat Orlando City 3-1 in that home match but earned the right to face the Union and were dispatched in two games that highlighted the gulf between the Fire and an MLS power.
Zinckernagel wants to do better in 2026. He said the Fire have the high-quality players, potential and hunger to make that happen.
“Ideally, we want to be qualifying for the playoffs much earlier, maybe competing for [the Supporters’] Shield, or be at the top of our conference,” Zinckernagel said. “It’s still a project that’s only been a year since Gregg came in and we’re building on our playing style and trying to get better every day.”
At least for the Fire, the questions around the 2026 team are different from most of the last 15 years. Instead of wondering about the future of the coach or whether the team is making progress, the subject is if they can build on legitimate success and rise to the level of a true MLS contender.
Zinckernagel said that isn’t adding any pressure to him and his teammates.
“The team is very motivated and hungry to get better and take [the] next steps. We made it to the playoffs last year, we won at home but we want to make it further,” Zinckernagel said. “We want to set the tone for this club to be up there as a team that can compete and be in the playoffs every season – not only being in the playoffs but also achieving something.”